Shortly after top Congress leadership, including senior leader Sonia Gandhi, launched a scathing attack at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over freezing of accounts, BJP chief JP Nadda hit back saying the bankruptcy of the grand old party is moral and intellectual, not financial.

“Congress is going to be totally rejected by the people and fearing a historic defeat, their top leadership addressed a press conference and ranted against Indian democracy and institutions. They are conveniently blaming their irrelevance on ‘financial troubles’. In reality, their bankruptcy is moral and intellectual, not financial,” Nadda said in a long post on ‘X’ on Thursday.

In a no-holds barred counter, the national president of the ruling BJP said that it was “comical” that a party that “looted from every sector in every state”, is talking about financial helplessness.

“Instead of correcting their own errors, Congress is blaming authorities for their troubles. Be it the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) or the Delhi HC, they have asked the Congress to comply with the rules, pay the taxes due but the Party never did so. For a party which has looted from every sector, in every state and at every moment of history, to talk of financial helplessness is comical,” he said.

Nadda added, “Congress can use the money accumulated from all their scams starting from jeep to chopper scam or via Bofors for their electioneering. Congress’ part-time leaders say India being a democracy is a lie- may I humbly remind them that India was not a democracy only for a few months between 1975 and 1977 and that time the Prime Minister of India was none other than Mrs Indira Gandhi.”

The reaction from the BJP chief came after Sonia Gandhi, along with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference and alleged that a “systematic effort is underway” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cripple the Indian National Congress financially.

“The issue we are taking up today is extremely serious. The issue affects not just the Indian National Congress but the democracy itself. A systematic effort is underway by the Prime Minister to cripple the Indian National Congress financially,” she said.

Rahul Gandhi said the Congress was not able to book advertisements and sent leaders for campaigning due to freezing of party accounts.

“This is not just about the freezing of our bank accounts, it’s about the freezing of Indian democracy… As the biggest Opposition party, we cannot do anything. We can’t book advertisements or send our leaders anywhere. What else is that if not freezing our democracy?” he asked.