Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his budget announced capping of anonymous cash donations to political parties at Rs 2,000 and introduced electoral bonds.
Criticising the Centre's move to introduce electoral bonds, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday that a decision on political funding should have be taken after obtaining opinions of all political parties.
"There should have been discussion with all political parties on the issue of political funding, electoral bonds. They should have taken opinion of all political outfits. Are they planning to send regional parties in exile," Banerjee told reporters here.
"We have long been demanding electoral reforms and state funding of elections", the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Banerjee also questioned the motive behind bringing these proposals ahead of the Assembly elections in five states. "What is the motive behind this announcement just ahead of Assembly elections in five states? Later on we might find some thing much bigger motive behind this decision," she said.
In a major move aimed at promoting transparency in political funding, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1 announced capping of anonymous cash donations to political parties at Rs 2,000 and introduced electoral bonds. The bonds, which will not carry the name of the donor, can be purchased from authorised banks against cheque or e-payment. Such securities can be redeemed only through registered accounts of a political party.
Banerjee claimed that UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had asked her to field TMC candidates in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, saying she "decided not to contest there". "If we had money we could have contested and won a few seats in Punjab assembly," she said.
She also slammed the Central government for "pursuing political vendetta against the TMC for opposing the demonetization. "We don't believe in insulting masses. We don't believe in political vendetta. No one should consider our political courtesy as our weakness," she added.
TMC has been at the loggerheads with the Modi government over the issue of demonetization and the arrest of its two MPs by CBI in connection with an alleged chitfund scam. Banerjee also said that the TMC would hit the streets demanding that CBI and ED return the money that Rose Valley and Saradha Chit Fund scam has looted from the masses.
"We will hit the streets demanding that CBI and ED return the money that Rose Valley and Saradha Chit Fund scam has looted from the masses. They have seized the assets of these Chit Fund companies, then why are they not returning the money," she said.
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