Modi welcomes EC bid to stop black money in polls, promises support

Welcoming the Election Commissions proposal to ban anonymity behind donations of more than Rs 2,000 to political parties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday assured it of implementing measures aimed at preventing black money infiltrating the electoral process.

Addressing a party rally in this industrial city of Uttar Pradesh, Modi accused the opposition of avoiding a debate in Parliament over the issue of political donations and asked the poll panel to continue its endeavour at electoral reforms.

"During the all-party meeting, before the winter session of Parliament, I had urged for a debate on political donations. People are full of mistrust about the donation to political parties and we must debate on the issue on how to remove this mistrust," he said.

"People have distrust for politicians over political donations and it is our responsibility to ensure that they do not have any reason to point fingers at political parties over donations," he added.

Modi said that he and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wholeheartedly welcome the EC's recent recommendation to slash the limit for accepting anonymous donations to Rs 2,000 from the current Rs 20,000.

He also advocated simultaneous conduct of the general and assembly elections and yet again flayed the opposition for running away from a debate in Parliament over the issue.

"I also had called for debates on the possibility of simultaneous conduct of general and assembly polls. Due to polls at different times not only are there opportunities of corruption but they also stall development and create tension among people."

"But there was no debate on these two important issues because the opposition did not allow Parliament to function. They did this because they wanted to avoid any debate on this," he said.

Calling on the poll panel to continue its bid to cleanse polls of black money, Modi assured the panel of implementing the recommendations in the interest of the country.

"I urge the EC to take further steps in this regard, call for discussions with all the parties and whatever recommendations come out which are in the interest of the country, which are for the sake of honesty and transparency, this government will implement that," he added.

--IANS

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