New Delhi, Mar 28 (PTI) The Congress on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of hypocrisy and “manipulating” democracy, after his criticising the party over a lawyers’ letter to the chief justice of India against a “vested interest group.” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused Prime Minister Modi of “bullying” every institution into submission, “manipulating” democracy, and hurting the Constitution.
“PM Narendra Modi ji, You are talking about Judiciary. You conveniently forget that 4 senior-most Supreme Court judges were forced to hold an unprecedented press conference and warn against ‘destruction of Democracy’. That happened under your regime.
“One of the judges was nominated by your Government to the Rajya Sabha. So who wants a ‘committed judiciary’? You forget that your party has fielded a former HC Judge in West Bengal for the current Lok Sabha elections. Why was this candidature bestowed on him,” he asked in a post on X.
Kharge also asked the PM who brought the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and why it had been stuck down by the Supreme Court.
“Modi ji, Institution after Institution is being ‘bullied’ by you into submission, so stop pinning the blame on the Congress party, for your own sins! “You have mastered the art of manipulating Democracy and hurting the Constitution,” he alleged.
Earlier in the day, Modi said it is a “vintage Congress culture” to browbeat and bully others, remarks that came in reaction to more than 600 lawyers writing to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, alleging that a “vested interest group” is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts.
Hitting back, Ramesh said in a post on X, “The PM’s brazenness in orchestrating and coordinating an attack on the judiciary, in the name of defending the judiciary, is the height of hypocrisy!” “The Supreme Court has delivered body blows to him in recent weeks. The Electoral Bonds Scheme is but one example. The Supreme Court declared them to be unconstitutional — and it is now proved beyond doubt that they were a blatant instrument of fear, blackmail, and intimidation to force companies to donate to the BJP,” he said.
Instead of giving a legal guarantee of minimum support price, the prime minister has given a legal guarantee to corruption, he alleged.
“All that the Prime Minister has done in the last ten years is divide, distort, divert, and defame. 140 crore Indians are waiting to give him a befitting reply very soon,” Ramesh said.
More than 600 lawyers, including senior advocate Harish Salve and Bar Council chairperson Manan Kumar Mishra, wrote to Chandrachud, alleging that a “vested interest group” is trying to put pressure on the judiciary and defame courts, especially in cases of corruption involving politicians.
In a post on X, Modi said, “To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture. 5 decades ago itself they had called for a ‘committed judiciary’ – they shamelessly want commitment from others for their selfish interests but desist from any commitment towards the nation.” PTI ASK SKC SKC VN VN
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