 "Check use of blackmoney: Govindacharya's plea to EC")
Alleging use of blackmoney by BJP and Congress to fund their election campaigns, former RSS ideologue K N Govindacharya today approached the Election Commission asking it to instruct the RBI to check remittances made to social media companies by the two political parties.
In a petition to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, he alleged that industrial houses and "capitalist forces, through proxy political leaders, are spending huge amount of money, mostly on publicity through print, electronic and Internet to hijack the democratic setup."
Quoting Union minister and Congress leader Anand Sharma, he said BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi has a publicity budget of Rs 10,000 crore, of which 90% is blackmoney.
"If it is correct, almost whole of the spending constitutes blackmoney since as per 2011-12 Income Tax return, BJP has shown receipt of approximately Rs 168 crore," he said.
Modi has denied the allegations and has asked for thorough investigation.
Govindacharya, who heads the Save Democracy Front, said Anand Sharma's statement makes it evident that Congress' advertisement budget is Rs 400 crore.
"However, as per Income Tax Return of 2011- 12, Congress' total receipt is said to be of Rs 307 crore," he said.
The petition requested the EC to direct the RBI to check remittances made by political parties to Internet companies to check the use of blackmoney in the process.
In a petition to Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath, he alleged that industrial houses and "capitalist forces, through proxy political leaders, are spending huge amount of money, mostly on publicity through print, electronic and Internet to hijack the democratic setup."
Quoting Union minister and Congress leader Anand Sharma, he said BJP's Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi has a publicity budget of Rs 10,000 crore, of which 90% is blackmoney.
"If it is correct, almost whole of the spending constitutes blackmoney since as per 2011-12 Income Tax return, BJP has shown receipt of approximately Rs 168 crore," he said.
Modi has denied the allegations and has asked for thorough investigation.
Govindacharya, who heads the Save Democracy Front, said Anand Sharma's statement makes it evident that Congress' advertisement budget is Rs 400 crore.
"However, as per Income Tax Return of 2011- 12, Congress' total receipt is said to be of Rs 307 crore," he said.
The petition requested the EC to direct the RBI to check remittances made by political parties to Internet companies to check the use of blackmoney in the process.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%