New Delhi: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said today that the condition of institutions in the country under the BJP and its ideologcal mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, reminds one of Pakistan. In an unsparing attack, Mr Gandhi accused the BJP and the RSS of "capturing" India's institutions by filling them with their men.
Indicating that the freedom of the judiciary was being interfered with, he said, "Usually people go to the Supreme Court for justice. But for the first time in 70 years we saw Supreme Court judges coming to the people complaining that they are not being allowed to do their job".
Such a thing, he said, normally happens in dictatorships. "It happened in Pakistan and Africa. But this happened for the first time in 70 years in India," he said, referring to the unprecedented press conference by four Supreme Court judges earlier this year.
"The RSS and the BJP do not want the poor to be heard. They don't want youth like Vemula to dream," he added, referring to Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula, whose suicide over alleged caste discrimination had triggered protests across campuses nationwide.
The Congress had approached the Supreme Court last night after the Vajubhai Vala's invite to BS Yeddyurappa. The BJP's prospective chief minister took oath today after the Supreme Court, in a rare post-midnight hearing, refused to put off the ceremony. The court, however, said while it was allowing the oath to proceed, it would be "subject to the outcome of the case".
The role of Mr Gandhi -- who took charge of the Congress in December -- came under huge criticism after the poor performance of the party in Karnataka. From 122 seats in the Karnataka assembly, the Congress slid to 78.
Indicating that the freedom of the judiciary was being interfered with, he said, "Usually people go to the Supreme Court for justice. But for the first time in 70 years we saw Supreme Court judges coming to the people complaining that they are not being allowed to do their job".
Such a thing, he said, normally happens in dictatorships. "It happened in Pakistan and Africa. But this happened for the first time in 70 years in India," he said, referring to the unprecedented press conference by four Supreme Court judges earlier this year.
"The RSS and the BJP do not want the poor to be heard. They don't want youth like Vemula to dream," he added, referring to Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula, whose suicide over alleged caste discrimination had triggered protests across campuses nationwide.
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The Congress had approached the Supreme Court last night after the Vajubhai Vala's invite to BS Yeddyurappa. The BJP's prospective chief minister took oath today after the Supreme Court, in a rare post-midnight hearing, refused to put off the ceremony. The court, however, said while it was allowing the oath to proceed, it would be "subject to the outcome of the case".
The role of Mr Gandhi -- who took charge of the Congress in December -- came under huge criticism after the poor performance of the party in Karnataka. From 122 seats in the Karnataka assembly, the Congress slid to 78.
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