Let SC’s verdict on Alok Verma be a “lesson” for PM Modi: Congress

Lauding the Supreme Court’s Tuesday order reinstating sacked Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma, the Congress Party said that the verdict must serve as a “lesson” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Let the Supreme Court verdict be a lesson for you, Modi Ji, that you cannot trample upon the law and the Constitution,” Congress’ Communications’ Department chief Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference in New Delhi, hours after the apex court’s order.

“Governments have come and governments have gone but the institutional integrity of our constitutionally and statutorily created institutions have always remained,” he said.

In a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, the Congress leader said the verdict was a “slap on the policies and decisions of the Modi government.”

He said that the government’s “illegal removal of the CBI Director” at midnight indicated that it was scared of getting a probe done into the Rafale fighter jet deal.

“Prime Minister Modi is the first PM of India, who in a despotic fashion virtually killed the independence of CBI so that it cannot investigate into the corruption of Rafale,” the Congress leader said.

“He is the first Prime Minister who has decisively decimated the competence as also the independence of the CVC,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Congress President Rahul Gandhi stated that nobody could save the Prime Minister from a probe into the Rafale deal now, in the wake of top court’s order.

"They cannot run away from Rafale, it is impossible. Modi ji ran away from a debate. He should have discussed with us the Rafale issue, in the people's court. No one can save them from Rafale, as Rafale is the truth. No one can run away from the truth," said Rahul.

The scathing reaction from Congress came after the Supreme Court reinstated CBI Director Verma, setting aside the Centre's decision to divest him of his powers.

The court has, however, restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over.