Electoral bonds a success story, everyone will regret its scrapping: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said electoral bonds scheme was a “success story” as it facilitated establishing money trail.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, PM Modi said that striking down of electoral bonds is a decision “everyone will regret when there is honest reflection” as it has “completely pushed the country towards black money.”

The Supreme Court scrapped electoral bonds in a landmark decision two months ago, terming it as “unconstitutional and manifestly arbitrary”.

Asked about the Opposition’s charge against BJP on electoral bonds, Modi said, “If there were no electoral bonds, who would have had the power to find out where the money came from and where it went? This is the success story of electoral bonds that there were electoral bonds, that is why you are getting a trail of money.”

Modi said he never claims there are no deficiencies in decision-making, ANI reported. “In decision-making, we learn and improve… It is very possible to improve this one too. But today we have completely pushed the country towards black money. That is why I say everyone will regret it. When they think honestly later, everyone will regret it.”

Modi elaborated that a total of 3,000 companies donated electoral bonds across the country.

“Of these 3000 companies, 26 were such against which action has been taken… Of these 26, a total of 16 companies were such that purchased bonds when they were being raided… The bonds that these 16 companies purchased, BJP has 37% of that amount, while 63% went to the Opposition,” Modi said, underling the fact that non-BJP parties benefitted much more.