‘Institutions being bullied to submission’: Congress hits back on Modi’s remarks over lawyers’ letter to CJI

‘Institutions being bullied to submission’: Congress hits back on Modi’s remarks over lawyers’ letter to CJI

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s criticism of the party over a letter to the CJI by a group of lawyers, the Congress Thursday hit back accusing him of “bullying” every institution into submission, “manipulating” democracy, and “hurting” the Constitution.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, in a statement on X, addressed PM Modi and said: “We will take these institutions from you and return them to the people of India.”

Kharge’s remarks come hours after PM Modi criticised the Congress party over a letter submitted by nearly 600 lawyers to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud about the actions of a “vested interest group” which they alleged “is trying to pressure the judiciary.

Responding to the PM, Kharge raised four questions. “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.

He also asked the PM about 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,” Kharge alleged.

Earlier in the day, the PM had also slammed the Congress for “shamelessly” seeking commitment “from others for their selfish interests.” In a post on X, he 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. No wonder 140 crore Indians are rejecting them.”

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