New Delhi: Congress MP and advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi came out heavily against the Bharatiya Janata Party over the FIR filed against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in connection to the alleged extortion of money through the now-scrapped electoral bonds, and said this development has "unmasked the true nature" of the ruling party.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Singhvi said that the BJP's plan had been "sinister" and that there was a pattern on how the electoral bond had helped a few firms ease their case with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or get out of custody. He also demanded the resignation of Sitharaman.
"BJP's plan had been sinister, including the Finance Minister, especially since this FIR has unmasked the true nature of the BJP...The pattern had been that when was the electoral bond taken and how much amount was taken, and then how many times ED knocked on their doors before buying the bonds and after the electoral bond was brought, then either their cases against them were slowed or they were released from custody...One firm also bought 500 crore worth of electoral bonds as well," he said.
He further alleged that there was a process for how the FIR was filed and that after a probe into the matter, it was filed. Singhvi alleged that the total figure related to the case is Rs 8,000 crore, adding that there must be involvement of other top brass of the BJP also.
"There is a process for how this FIR was filed. There is a filter, an investigation takes place and after the probe, an FIR is filed... The total figure is Rs 8,000 crore. I don't think the finance minister alone took the decision and it must have been taken from top brass...The electoral bonds scheme is an extortionist BJP scheme," Singhvi said.
