NEW DELHI: As political parties amass thousands of crores in donations, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has emphasized the need to curb the financial dominance in politics and promote value-based governance.
A recent report by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured ₹4,340.47 crores in the financial year 2023-24, accounting for 74.57% of total political funding. The Congress, the second-highest recipient, garnered ₹1,225.21 crores.
JIH vice-president Prof. Mohammad Salim Engineer expressed concern over the disparity in political funding, stating that it reflects undue pressure on business groups to fund the ruling party. He criticized corporate-backed funding, asserting that it compels governments to implement pro-capitalist policies at the expense of public welfare.
Prof. Salim further pointed out that money-driven politics weakens democratic principles, fosters corruption, and empowers communal elements. He reiterated JIH’s commitment to value-based politics, advocating for measures to limit financial influence in governance.
The ADR report highlights the stark difference in financial resources between BJP and Congress. While BJP leads Congress by 15% in vote share, its income surpasses the Congress’s by over 250%. In 2022-23, BJP earned ₹2,360.84 crores—five times Congress’s income—holding a 76.73% share of the total earnings of six national parties.
Despite its massive earnings, BJP spent only 50.96% of its income (₹2,211.69 crores), while Congress utilized 83.69% of its revenue (₹1,025.25 crores). The CPI(M) reported ₹167.636 crores in income and spent 75.93% of it. The BSP earned ₹64.7798 crores and expended ₹43.189 crores.
Electoral bonds remain a major funding source, with BJP receiving ₹1,685.63 crores, followed by Congress at ₹828.36 crores and AAP at ₹10.15 crores.
While BJP directed most of its funds toward election propaganda (₹1,754.065 crores), Congress allocated ₹619.67 crores to election-related expenses and ₹340.70 crores for administrative costs. CPI(M) spent ₹56.29 crores on administration and ₹47.57 crores on employee salaries.
The ADR report underscores the financial disparity in Indian politics, raising concerns about the growing role of money in electoral outcomes. JIH continues to push for reforms ensuring transparency, equality, and integrity in political funding.
