Shah insulted SC, incited violence, says opposition

NEW DELHI: A day after BJP president Amit Shah criticised the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to the Sabrimala temple, the opposition hit back saying his “frivolous and ignorant” comments not only insulted the apex court but also exposed who was behind the violence in the temple area.

While the Congress accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership of gradually “diluting and decimating” India’s institutions, the CPI-M said Shah’s threat to throw out the Kerala government was another display of his anti-democratic and authoritarian attitude.

The bahuj an samajparty (bsp) urged the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the BJP chief’s comments while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused him of creating anarchy.

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that Shah, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government, had only one objective − “to progressively, slowly, surely, steadily, but 100 per cent certainly, decimate, dilute and truncate institutions which have been built up by careful nurturing of over 70 of our Independence.

“Attempts are being made to make loose, uninformed, ignorant comments... These frivolous, trivial, almost puerile comments, which insult the Supreme Court and insult the intelligence of our electorate, should be desisted from but I’m sure it will keep on happening,” he said at a press conference in response to a question.

Shah had on Saturday said the Supreme Court should not pass verdicts that go against the religious faith of the people and “can’t be implemented” on the ground.