Ahead of the general elections, with Election Commission on high alert to seize the money used by parties to buy votes for their elections, Congress Party claimed to have busted a cash-for-votes scandal in Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally today morning.
Around midnight, just hours before the rally, ₹1.8 crores in cash were recovered by the police in presence of the Election Officials from a local guesthouse. The two cars that contained the stash were a part of the BJP convoy. The Congress party has asked the Election Commission to file a case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy in charge of the cash-for-votes scandal.
The car from which ₹1 crore was recovered, belonged to Dr. Dengi Perme, candidate for the Mebo Assembly constituency. The other car, which contained ₹80 lakhs belonged to the state transport’s department but was allegedly being used by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein.
The senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Sujrewala alleged BJP for influencing the voters by paying them to vote for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added “Is this the same amount from ₹80 lakh crore black money? Does this not prove Chowkidaar Chor hai? Is this not a clear cut act of corrupt practice?”
The Congress leader also showed two videos in which he claimed that the police officers in the presence of the election commission’s Expenditure officer Samrita Kaur Gill, were counting the money. The videos were being circulated on social media however, the party said that it can vouch for the authenticity of the video.
In the defense, Chief Minister Pema Khandu made a remark saying “It’s absolutely wrong. ‘Cash-for-vote’ is practiced by the Congress party.” He admitted that the cash was found in a car belonging to the BJP candidate and said that the investigation by the Election Commission will reveal the truth in the scandal.