New Delhi: The Congress party launched a fierce attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, calling for the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The demand follows the registration of a case against her in connection with the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. The opposition accused Sitharaman of undermining democracy and insisted on a Supreme Court-monitored investigation led by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).Allegations against FM SitharamanThe case was filed after a court directive in Bengaluru, stemming from a complaint by Adarsh R. Iyer, co-president of the Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath (JSP). According to the complaint, Sitharaman, alongside Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials and BJP leaders, allegedly orchestrated an extortion racket disguised as the electoral bonds scheme, reaping illicit benefits of over ₹8,000 crore.The FIR names Sitharaman, BJP Karnataka chief B Y Vijayendra, and party leader Nalin Kumar Kateel, among others, under charges of extortion (Section 384), criminal conspiracy (120B), and common intention (34) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Congress calls for actionAddressing the media, Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh and Abhishek Singhvi condemned the involvement of the finance minister. Ramesh called for her immediate resignation, stating she is guilty on political, legal, and moral grounds.The Congress reiterated its demand for a thorough probe into the electoral bonds scheme, which the Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional earlier this year. The court held that the scheme violated the right to information and threatened the integrity of free and fair elections. Singhvi added, The Finance Minister cannot do this alone. We know who is number one and number two and whose directions were followed. He termed the scheme as EBS – Extortionist BJP Scheme, stressing it undermines the democratic process.
