New Delhi, Jan 8 (UNI) Terming it a ‘lesson for the government’, the Congress party on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court order to reinstate Alok Verma as Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and said Narendra Modi has become first Prime Minister to have his illegal orders set aside by the apex court.
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s verdict lambasting the government against their illegal removal of Alok Verma as CBI Director”, Congress said in their official twitter handle.
The court on Tuesday reinstated Mr Verma as director of the premier investigation agency, however asking him to stay away from taking major policy decisions until a final decision is made by the statutory committee in a week.
The government had sent Mr Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana on leave in October in a decision taken at midnight citing bitter feud between them, causing an uproar withe the opposition parties alleging it to be the government’s move to stop Mr Verma from initiating an inquiry on Rafale fighter jet deal.
Congress Lok Sabha leader Mallikarjun Kharge responded to the order that “It is a lesson for the government. We are not against one individual. But today you will use these agencies to pressure people, tomorrow somebody else will. What will happen to democracy then?”.
Lambasting the Modi government, Congress communication in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said ‘MODI means Muzzling of Democratic Institutions’.
In a series of tweets, he said Modi government first lost four economic advisors in a row, including two RBI Governors, second, four SC judges went public on the death of Judge Loya and destroyed credibility and competence of the CBI and CVC.
“This is your model of ‘minimum governance, maximum government’, he tweeted.
“Modiji please remember, Governments have come and gone. Integrity of our institutions have survived. Let this be a lesson to you about the strength of our democracy and the Constitution. Let this be a lesson that howsoever despotic u may be, law catches up in the end”, he tweeted.
The Congress spokesperson also charged that Mr Modi added another ‘first’ to his list after being the first Prime Minister to be exposed destroying the CBI before the SC and added that “after having ruined CVC’s credibility (requiring supervision by former SC judge), Mr Modi has now become first Prime Minister to have his illegal orders set aside by the Supreme Court”.
“Another big question for Modi. After making CBI Chief suffer the consequences of your illegal decision for three months, will you show the courage to return three months of lost tenure? Unless you are afraid of investigation into Rafale scam”, he said.