Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw says purchased electoral bonds at personal level, firm not involved
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw was responding to reports that Biocon had donated to the JD(S) through electoral bonds.
2 min read
Biocon founder and executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (Express photo)Biocon founder and executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw said on Monday that she had donated to political parties through electoral bonds at a personal level and not through her company. This was in response to reports that Biocon had donated to Janata Dal (Secular) through electoral bonds in Karnataka.
In a post on X, Shaw wrote: “Would like to clarify that Biocon did not make any political donation to JDS or any other party for elections. At a personal level I purchased electoral bonds which I donated to JDS and several parties”.
She said her “donations were nominal on the principle of funding election campaigns with white money.”
Would like to clarify that Biocon did not make any political donation to JDS or any other party for elections. At a personal level I purchased electoral bonds which I donated to JDS & several parties. My donations were nominal on the principle of funding election campaigns with…
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) March 18, 2024
The submissions made by the JD(S) to Election Commission last year showed that Biocon Limited had donated thrice to the party, totalling Rs 2.5 crore, since 2018.
The JD(S) is among the few parties in the country that have shared their donors’ list. Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Limited (MEIL) contributed Rs 50 crore of the Rs 89.75 crore the JD(S) received through electoral bonds.
Data on electoral bonds released by the Election Commission showed that Shaw donated Rs 6 crore on April 10, 2023, a month before the Assembly elections in Karnataka. On March 15, she was involved in an argument on X after a user pointed out her donations in the list. When questioned whether she was “asked” to donate, she stated that “all parties want funding”.
All parties want funding.
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) March 15, 2024
You May Like
