The Congress on Thursday said the Narendra Modi government had panicked because of the changing electoral scenario in the country and resorted to financial and political “terrorism” like a dictator to cripple the Opposition just before the parliamentary election.

While the Congress listed what it called “dacoity” on its bank accounts to buttress its charge of financial terrorism, it pointed to raids on the residences of former governor Satya Pal Malik and his associates and the brutal crackdown on farmers to justify the allegation of political terrorism. The party’s top leadership came out to declare that a "dictator" was conspiring to crush the Opposition in the desperation to retain power.

Rahul Gandhi posted on X: “If the farmers demand MSP, shoot them. Is that mother of democracy? If the youth demands appointment after selection, refuse to pay any heed to them. Is that mother of democracy? If a former governor speaks the truth, unleash CBI on him. Is that mother of democracy? Freeze the accounts of the principal Opposition party. Is that mother of democracy?”

He added: “Section 144, Internet ban, barbed wire, teargas shells… is that mother of democracy? Crush every voice of truth in the media and the social media. Is that mother of democracy? Modi ji, the people know you have murdered democracy and they will give you the reply.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi loves to portray India as the “Mother of Democracy” whenever he goes abroad, almost using this lofty phrase as a shield against the growing criticism of diminishing democracy in India.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said: “An autocratic Modi government is capturing democracy through extortion and financial terrorism.”

While condemning the alleged seizure of Rs 65 crore belonging to the party, he said: “The BJP received donations from at least 30 firms, after it misused CBI, income tax, Enforcement Directorate (ED) to raid them. Reports also show some of these firms handed out a heftier amount to the BJP in the months following the searches. Looting the Opposition and blackmailing donors to fill BJP’s coffers is a dark phase for our democracy.”

Party’s communications chief Jairam Ramesh also referred to the latest "expose" which revealed how 30 private companies were let off the hook after operations by central agencies and they were found to have paid Rs 335 crore to the BJP. “This is extortion using CBI-ED and income tax,” Ramesh said, adding that these donations were not through electoral bonds and the details were available on the Election Commission website.