The BJP had yesterday accused the Trinamool Congress of not accounting for over Rs 24 crore “it spent on political campaigns” in 2013-14.
Union minister Piyush Goyal had asked TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee to “come clean” on the source of the money and took a dig at her, saying it was now clear why she was opposed to demonetisation “aimed at curbing black money”.
“It is part of a concerted attempt to browbeat political parties in the opposition, independent sections of the media and critics of the current regime in Delhi,” TMC chief national secretary Derek O’Brien said in a statement.
He said these wild allegations will only strengthen the TMC’s resolve.
“The BJP cannot scare us. In time, the people will show this government what they think of it and its theatrics,” he said in the statement last night.
Accusing the Union minister of playing “dirty games”, he said that the All India Trinamool Congress has submitted all its accounts to the Election Commission.
“It has replied to communication from the Income Tax Department. What gives the Minister the authority to say all this?” he asked.
“Instead, why doesn t he check if his own house, his own party, is in order? Please don t give us lessons on regulatory and financial compliance. Our party has fulfilled all criteria and that is why we have been recognised as a national party recently,” O’Brien said.
“When its government fires bullets at farmers and desperately wants to change the narrative, the BJP cooks up a diversion,” he alleged.
Goyal had also asked the opposition parties not to “politicise” every investigation “under the garb of secularism and freedom of press”.
PTI