Respect SC order, but electoral bond scheme should have been improved not scrapped: Amit Shah
New Delhi (PTI): Noting that he fully respects the Supreme Court order on electoral bonds, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the scheme was introduced to end black money in politics and added that it should have been improved rather than scrapped.
Shah also said that the one nation, one election is the concept of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and when it will be implemented, it will ensure faster development and end recurring expenditure.
"Electoral bonds were introduced to end the influence of black money in Indian politics. Everyone has to accept the decision given by the Supreme Court. I fully respect the Supreme Court decision. But I feel that instead of completely scrapping the electoral bonds, it should have been improved," he said at an interaction at the India Today Conclave.
Referring to the Congress, the home minister said the leaders of the opposition party used to take political donation in cash because out of a donation of Rs 1,100, they used to deposit Rs 100 in the name of the party and keep Rs 1,000 in their own pockets.
"The Congress party has run this system for years," he said.
Shah said it has been said that the electoral bonds have benefitted the BJP and Rahul Gandhi has made a statement that it is the biggest extortion activity.
"I want to make my stance clear about it. Out of the total Rs 20,000 crore electoral bonds, the BJP has got approximately Rs 6,000 crore. Where did the rest of the bonds go? TMC has got Rs 1,600 crore, Congress got Rs 1,400 crore, BRS got Rs 1,200 crore, BJD got Rs 750 crore and DMK got Rs 639 crore.
"We have got Rs 6,000 crore despite having 303 MPs and the rest got Rs 14,000 crore against 242 MPs. What is the hue and cry about? I can say that once the accounts are settled they will not be able to face you all," he said.
Referring to the one nation, one election proposal, Shah said that due to elections taking place many times across the country, a large amount of money is spent on conducting polls.
Most importantly, he said, due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct, decision making of the government has been adversely affected and hence development work is stalled.
"The idea of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP behind one nation, one election is that elections are held again and again in this country and the people are busy in elections and this leads to repeated expenditure.
"Due to the model code of conduct, many development works come to a halt. One nation, one election is a solution for this," he said.
Asked about the seat-sharing talks in Bihar, the home minister said everything will be settled in next one week.
"Everyone is united in NDA in Bihar and this time NDA will win all the seats in Bihar under the leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.
Commenting on Delhi, where the Congress and the AAP joined hands to flight the polls, he said the BJP got more than 50 per cent votes in all seats of Delhi in the last two Lok Sabha polls and it is going to increase its vote share this time.
"We are least bothered what they do in the remaining 49 per cent," he said.
Shah reiterated Prime Minister Modi's statement that the BJP will get more than 370 seats and the NDA over 400 seats.
"We have a track record of 10 years and an agenda for the next 25 years. It is an agenda to create a great India and that is why the public is putting faith in us," he said.
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KKR defeat LSG via Super Over
Lucknow (PTI): Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants via Super Overs in a battle between two bottom-placed teams in the IPL, here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest 156, LSG suffered a batting collapse and managed to tie the contest and take it to Super Over with No. 9 Mohammed Shami striking a last-ball six against a wayward Kartik Tyagi, who leaked 16 runs in the final over.
But Sunil Narine bowled a stunning Super Over conceding just one run and taking two wickets to give KKR an easy target.
Rinku Singh then finished the chase with a boundary off first ball from Prince Yadav.
Earlier the KKR were in deep trouble with 93/7 in 15 overs but Rinku smashed a sensational 83 not out from 51 balls including four sixes in a row in the final over to lift them to 155/7.
Cameron Green (34) was the only other batter to reach double-digit scores as KKR suffered a familiar batting meltdown with Mohsin taking his maiden fifer.
In reply, LSG continued their dismal show with the bat to succumb to their fifth loss in a row.
Brief Scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 155/7; 20 overs (Rinku Singh 83 not out, Cameron Green 34; Mohsin Khan 5/23). Lucknow Super Giants 155/8; 20 overs (Rishabh Pant 42). KKR won via Super Over.
