BJP takes dig at Congress crowdfunding campaign via Big B's movie clip from 80s

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a dig at the Congress for its initiative to launch a nationwide crowdfunding campaign "Donate for Desh" to generate resources for the party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP likened the initiative to Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu whose premises in Odisha and Jharkhand were raided by the Income Tax department leading to a recovery of over Rs 351 crore.

Giving a reference to the Bollywood movie, Inquilaab (released in 1984), starring Amitabh Bachchan and Kader Khan, the BJP took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, "The story and characters in this clip are not imaginary. Resemblance with Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu’s party’s call to seek crowdfunding is intended."

The story and characters in this clip are not imaginary. Resemblance with Congress MP Dhiraj Sahu’s party’s call to seek crowdfunding is intended… pic.twitter.com/5CDyxrWIol

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 17, 2023

The Congress said that the campaign will be launched on Monday by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi.

After Congress announced the campaign, the BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya slammed the party and wrote on X, "Don't be fooled by the Congress's lofty talk of this crowdsourcing being inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's historic Tilak Swaraj Fund".

"They will tarnish both the Mahatma and Tilak. Going by their previous track record, this will turn out to be nothing but another attempt to siphon off public money and enrich the Gandhis," he alleged.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that those who looted India for 60 years were now seeking donations from the same country.

The Congress has started a 'Donate for Desh' campaign to "deflect public attention from the unparalleled corruption in the party that has once again surfaced following the seizure of a huge amount of cash from its Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu", he claimed.

At a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal and Treasurer Ajay Maken said Indians above the age of 18 can donate a minimum of Rs 138 or in multiples such as Rs 1,380, Rs 13,800 and so on to the campaign.

Venugopal said the crowdfunding initiative was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's historic 'Tilak Swaraj Fund', which was launched more than a hundred years ago in 1920-21.

He said the initiative aims to empower the party in creating an India that is rich in equal resource distribution and opportunities.