 "SBI part of 'Modani family': Rahul Gandhi over electoral bonds data sharing")
Rahul Gandhi alleged that the State Bank of India (SBI) has become a part of the "Modani family" after the bank moved to the Supreme Court (SC), seeking time until June 30 to share the information on electoral bonds.
"Narendra Modi has tried his best to hide the 'donation business'. When the Supreme Court has said that it is the right of the countrymen to know the truth about electoral bonds, then why does SBI want this information not to be made public before the elections? Asking for time till June 30 for information which can be retrieved with one click...dal me kuch kala nahi, puri dal kaali hai," Gandhi evoked the popular proverb in a post on X(formerly Twitter) on Monday.
He further alleged that all the independent organisations in India are covering up corruption by becoming part of the 'Modani' family. "This is the 'last attempt' to hide Modi's 'real face' before the elections," the Congress leader said.
Modani family is the reference used by the Congress party to refer to the links between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and billionaire Gautam Adani. The Opposition has, on multiple occasions, alleged that the duo share close bonds and the Modi government works for the benefit of the PM's "industrialist friend."
SBI moves SC two days before deadline expiration
The political slugfest erupted after the SBI moved to the top court on Monday, seeking the deadline extension. The plea followed just two days before the Supreme Court's current deadline to furnish information on electoral bonds to the Election Commission of India (ECI), which ends on March 6.
In a key judgement, the apex court directed the SBI to share the details of the scheme from April 12, 2019, to February 15, 2024 with the election body. The scheme allows anonymous monetary donations to the political parties, a move that the Opposition alleged disproportionately benefits the ruling BJP-led NDA government.
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Following the SBI's report on the bonds, the ECI was supposed to put up the information on its website by March 13.
What SBI contended in its plea
"In that time period, 22,217 electoral bonds were used for making donations to various political parties. Redeemed bonds were deposited to Mumbai main branch by the authorised branches at the end of each phase in sealed envelopes. Coupled with the fact that two different information silos existed, this would mean that a total of 44,434 information sets would have to be decoded, compiled, and compared," the bank's application said.
The bank sought an extension on the timeline, arguing that the current time is insufficient.
However, several Opposition leaders alleged that the Centre is trying to use the SBI to escape scrutiny over its "dubious dealings."
Notably, the ruling BJP has benefitted from the scheme the most by cornering over Rs 5,000 crore of the Rs 9,208 crore bonds sold till 2022, the data showed. The Congress stood in second position with a Rs 952 crore contribution for the same period.