Rahul targets Modi, Prasad over 'collapsing legal system'

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a "collapsing legal system". He accused Modi of holding up the appointment of a judge to the Supreme Court due to a hurt ego that the latter had "overturned President's Rule in Uttarakhand".

Gandhi also hit out at Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for "peddling fake news" instead of addressing the problems faced by the judiciary, that has led to piling up of cases in courts.

"Justice K M Joseph overturned President's rule in Uttarakhand in 2016. When his name was proposed for the Supreme Court, Modi ji's ego was hurt. Approval of over 100 judges, cleared for the Supreme Court and various High Courts are now on hold," the Congress President said on Twitter.

Gandhi drew attention to the pending cases in the subordinate courts, the High Courts and the Supreme Court, and the shortage of judges, to drive home his point.

"Legal system collapsing under Pending Cases: Supreme Court 55,000 + High Court 37 Lakh + Lower Courts 2.6 Crore +. Yet, a staggering 400 High Court and 6,000 Lower Court judges not appointed, while Law Minister preoccupied peddling fake news," he said.

Prasad had claimed that the Congress used the services of disgraced data mining firm Cambridge Analytica to shore up the image of Rahul Gandhi ahead of the Gujarat Assembly elections last year.

War of words

Gandhi hit back at the BJP for using the services of Cambridge Analytica to "sabotage" the Congress prospects in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as well as elections in five states.

"BJP lying factory at work: Journalist set to break big story on how Cambridge Analytica was paid to infiltrate and sabotage the Congress in 2012. BJP rushes Cabinet Minister to lie and spin fake news: Congress worked with CA! Real story vanishes," Gandhi had said on Twitter on Friday.

Gandhi attached to his tweet an NDTV interview of the co-founder of Cambridge Analytica's Indian partner Ovleno Business Intelligence (OBI).

The BJP and the Congress have been engaged in a war of words over utilising the services of the tainted firm for management of elections.