Fadnavis Raises Alarms on Terror Funding and External Influence in Elections
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Nagpur, Dec 19 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, stated on Thursday that there is substantial evidence indicating the involvement of terror funding and foreign interference in the recent elections. During a discussion regarding the Governor's address in the state Assembly, Fadnavis warned opposition parties to remain vigilant, suggesting that external forces are manipulating them.
“While I acknowledge your patriotism, it appears that there are external pressures at play. What lengths will people go to in order to secure victory in elections? We have witnessed troubling slogans like vote jihad. Numerous demands have been made, yet you choose silence. I will unveil the true conspiracy. My faith in you remains, but it seems you have lost your way,” he expressed to opposition leaders.
“To what lengths are we willing to go to win elections? Evidence of foreign interference in our electoral process has now come to light,” he asserted.
He highlighted a disturbing case involving financial transactions exceeding Rs 100 crore linked to the accounts of unemployed youth at a Merchant Bank branch in Malegaon.
“Complaints were lodged by some youth in Malegaon. An undisclosed sum of Rs 114 crore was found deposited across accounts. The accused, Siraj Mohammad, opened accounts at the Nashik Merchant Bank using the PAN and Aadhaar cards of 14 individuals. Subsequently, Rs 114 crore was transferred to these accounts before being redirected to the accounts of Siraj Mohammad and 21 others. Investigations by the police, ED, and Income Tax Department revealed that transactions totaling Rs 1,000 crore occurred across 201 bank accounts spanning 21 states. This money has flowed into various cities, including Mumbai and Nashik. A sum of Rs 600 crore was sent to Dubai, with Rs 100 crore utilized for various election-related activities. The ATS has now taken over this investigation,” he claimed.
Fadnavis also alleged that participants in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, attended a meeting in Kathmandu on November 15 this year. “The 180 organizations linked to the Bharat Jodo initiative organized events and distributed pamphlets during the election period, with around 40 of these being designated as frontal organizations,” he noted.
Touching upon the topic of urban naxalism, Fadnavis remarked that such activities are escalating in urban regions, particularly as the fight against naxalism intensifies. “What exactly is urban naxalism? It seeks to undermine the very constitution of our country, fostering doubt about our institutions—such as the courts, RBI, and the Election Commission—thereby eroding public trust. Should the people revolt, what measures will be taken? They might dismantle the constitution, as envisioned by Bharat Ratna Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, leading to chaos. This is a serious attempt at destabilization,” he warned.
