New Delhi, March 17 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Congress party on Tuesday, using the 15th anniversary of the WikiLeaks revelations to remind the nation of the 2008 "cash-for-votes" scandal.
Through a social media post, the BJP alleged that the first Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre "put democracy up for sale" to survive a crucial vote of confidence following the controversial India-US nuclear deal.
In a post on its official X handle titled, "This Day, That Year. Taking you back 12 summers," the BJP revisited the events of March 17, 2011, when leaked diplomatic cables allegedly exposed a deep-rooted bribery network.
"On March 17, 2011, a shocking revelation linked to WikiLeaks sent ripples across India's political landscape. Leaked diplomatic cables alleged that during the crucial 2008 vote of confidence in the Indian Parliament, allies of the ruling Congress leadership displayed stacks of cash to secure the support of MPs and save the government of Manmohan Singh," the BJP said in the X post.
The scandal originally reached its peak in 2008 when three BJP MPs -- Ashok Argal, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Mahabir Singh Bhagora -- shook the Lok Sabha by waving stacks of currency notes on the floor of the House. They alleged that they were offered Rs one crore each to abstain from voting.
"The vote was meant to test the government's legitimacy after the controversial India-US nuclear deal. Instead, it became synonymous with the "cash-for-votes" scandal, a moment when the sanctity of Parliament was overshadowed by allegations that money was used to influence elected representatives," it said in the post.
The BJP's Tuesday post emphasized this moment, stating, "For a party that preaches and prides itself on the strength of its democracy, the images of MPs waving bundles of cash inside Parliament remain unforgettable."
It concluded the post saying, "A stark reminder of a dark chapter in India's political history when the world was watching, and serious questions were raised. Did Congress put democracy up for sale?"