Congress raises I-T raids on workers with EC

A Congress delegation on Tuesday met Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and raised the issue of income tax raids on some of its employees last week.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal said "The position is such that people of CBDT have been sitting at the homes of our employees from Friday to Sunday. There is no warrant and no papers. What is this? We know that they are misusing ED and other agencies. If this is not an attack on democracy then what is it?"

Party leader Anand Sharma said "They have (EC) has the constitutional mandate to ensure free and fair elections. There cannot be targeting using and abusing. For three days Congress party's accounts section was totally paralysed. Whatever meagre funds the Congress party has at its disposal considering the BJP is the world's richest political party."

"The party was told to transfer funds to candidates in their accounts by cheques. We have asked the EC to call Central Board of Direct Taxes and ask explanation from them said," said spokesperson Manish Tiwari.

The delegation comprised of Ahmed Patel, Sibal, Sharma, Tiwari and Pranav Jha. They alleged that the tax department is behaving like a "department of BJP".

The Congress has also raised of issue of alleged hooliganism by the BJP candidate in Kaithal in Haryana. The seat is being contested by Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.IANS