Hello everyone, I am Bakhtawar, and I am here to unravel a mystery surrounding the State Bank of India (SBI Bank) and its handling of electoral bonds. Let’s break down the complex details in simple language.
Firstly, electoral bonds are a way for companies and individuals to secretly donate money to political parties. Think of it like giving money under a cloak of invisibility. But here’s the catch: the SBI Bank, which manages these bonds, isn’t being transparent about who’s donating and how much.
Journalists Nitin Sethi and Tapasya shed light on this issue, revealing that the SBI Bank isn’t providing the necessary information about electoral bonds. Despite the government’s promises of transparency, the truth is being hidden.
Now, let’s talk about ADR, an organization keeping an eye on electoral funding. Prashant Bhushan, their attorney, has taken the case to the Supreme Court.
ADR emphasizes that the SBI Bank has the technology to quickly share information about electoral bonds, but they’re choosing not to. In fact, the SBI Bank is asking for a whopping 136 days to submit the required reports. That’s a long time to wait, especially when transparency is at stake. Why is this important? Well, electoral bonds could reveal a lot about political funding, including whether foreign entities are involved. Transparency is crucial for a democracy to thrive.
But despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that electoral bonds are against the right to information, the SBI Bank is dragging its feet. This delay undermines the significance of the court’s decision and erodes public trust.
Furthermore, the sheer amount of money involved is staggering. Before 2012, the BJP received donations worth Rs. 3,393 crores. And even after electoral bonds were introduced, donations skyrocketed to over Rs. 6,500 crores by 2023. Who’s giving this money, and what do they expect in return? It’s time for accountability. The Right to Information Act mandates prompt responses to citizens’ requests for information. But the SBI Bank’s actions seem to contradict this principle.
In conclusion, transparency is the cornerstone of democracy. It’s time for the SBI Bank to come clean about electoral bonds and uphold the principles of accountability. Let’s not allow secrecy to overshadow democracy’s core values.
