SITUATION LIKE THAT IN PAKISTAN, SAYS RAHUL

Raipur, May 17: The Constitution is under “severe attack”, Rahul Gandhi asserted on Thursday against the backdrop of Karnataka developments, even as he said the judiciary and the press were under “fear” that usually happens in Pakistan under “dictatorship” and some African countries ruled by Generals.

“The Constitution is under severe attack in the country... In Karnataka, the MLAs are on one side and the Governor on the other and you know what attempt is being made,” Mr Gandhi said.

The war of words between the Congress and the BJP continued on thursday with AICC president Rahul Gandhi and BJP president Amit Shah taking on each other on Twitter regarding Karnataka developments.

“The BJP’s irrational insistence that it will form a government in Karnataka even though it clearly does not have the numbers is to make a mockery of our Constitution,” tweeted Mr Gandhi. In another, he said, “This morning while BJP celebrates its hollow victory, India will mourn the defeat of democracy”.

Reacting, Mr Shah tweeted: “The murder of democracy happened the minute a desperate Congress made an opportunistic offer to the JD(S), not for Karnataka’s welfare but for their petty political gains, shameful”.

He also tweeted “Who has the people’s mandate in Karnataka? The BJP, which has won 104 seats, or the Congress which dropped to 78 seats, whose own CM and Ministers lost by big margins. JD(S) who won only 37 seats and lost their deposits on several others”. In another, he said: “President of the Congress obviously does not remember the glorious history of his party, the legacy of Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s party is the horrific emergency, blatant misuse of Article 356...”