Narendra Modi government trampled upon established constitutional processes: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having an "autocratic mindset" whose government has "trampled" upon established constitutional processes in its "vendetta" against former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium.

Calling Subramanium a "known jurist", the opposition party said the NDA government's move to oppose his elevation as a Supreme Court judge was because of the "independent stance" taken by him as a court appointed counsel against Gujarat government in cases like Shorabuddin, Kausar Bi and Ishrat Jahan.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi and government has trampled upon established constitutional processes by unwarrantably jettisoning appointment of a known jurist like Gopal Subramanium.

"This is gross constitutional impropriety demonstrating the autocratic mindset of Prime Minister. What is even more unfortunate is the fact that this unilateral decision is an act of vendetta against the independent stance taken by Subramanium as a court appointed counsel against Gujarat government in cases like Shorabuddin, Kausar Bi, Ishrat Jahan," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told reporters here.

The former Solicitor General had also accused the Modi government of ordering CBI to "scrounge" for "dirt" against him to scuttle his elevation.

Subramanium, who had assisted the apex court in the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case in which Modi's close aide Amit Shah is an accused, said he was being "targeted" because of his independence and integrity.