Cong flays Shah’s remark over Sabarimala verdict

BJP’s goal is to first weaken institutions and then finish them... be it CBI, EC, CVC and the CIC... now same intervention has been made without understanding the law. — Abhishek Singhvi, Congress leader

New Delhi, Oct. 28: The Congress Sunday criticised BJP president Amit Shah’s remarks on the Supreme Court’s Sabarimala temple verdict, saying the ruling party’s goal was to first weaken and then finish institutions.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Shah’s remarks “insult intelligence of the institution and the electorate”.

With the BJP and the RSS leading protests against the SC order to open the Sabarimala shrine to women of all age, BJP president Shah on Saturday said courts should desist from pronouncing verdicts which cannot be implemented.

“It is the goal of the BJP to first weaken institutions and then finish them...there is a long list, be it CBI, EC, CVC and the CIC...now same intervention has been made without understanding of law,” Singhvi said in a press conference. He said the BJP has been “decimating” and “diluting” institutions to further its interests. “It is an uninformed, loose, trivial comment which is an insult to the intelligence of the institution and the electorate,” he said. Singhvi also dubbed the remarks of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath that the SC should pronounce a verdict on the Ram temple matter too like Sabarim-ala as one lacking knowledge of law and the Constitution.

Claiming that the issue is of great significance as it is a matter of faith for the people of India, the UP CM said Saturday, “If Supreme Court can give judgement in the Sabarimala case, it should also give its order in Ram temple case. I request the court to do so.”

“He is holding a constitutional post. The remarks show a lack of understanding of law and the Constitution. The Supreme Court will lay down a road map on how the proceedings would go,” Singhvi said. —PTI