The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday attacked the Congress for allegedly filing petitions in Supreme Court requesting an investigation into the death of Judge BH Loya.
In an exclusive interview with India TV, BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said that the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which was dismissed by the Supreme Court today as frivolous, was filed to serve the interests of Congress.
The Supreme Court today ruled that Judge Loya died of natural causes and that the petitions were serious attempts to scandalise and obstruct the course of justice.
While dismissing the plea for an independent probe, the top court today said that with these petitions it becomes clear that a real attempt and a frontal attack was made on the independence of the judiciary. The apex court said frivolous and motivated litigation has been filed to settle political rivalry.
Highlights of Ravi Shankar Prasad's exclusive interview with India TV on Judge Loya Verdict:
Watch video:
#Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the country and answer why was he silent since the past 3 years? Till when is he going to use such cases for his political gains?: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad
#Congress is being exposed today, they believe only those verdicts that are in their favour: Prasad
#Congress is not believing the ones who took Judge Loya to the hospital, they are not believing the High Court judges and now they are commenting on the judges of the Supreme Court: Prasad
#Congress doesn't read the facts carefully, each fact was clearly stated in the reports. There may be some human errors in the report but that does not change the reality: Union Minister
#Rahul Gandhi should answer as to how long is he going to degrade the top court only for his own personal reasons: Union Minister
#This Supreme Court's verdict should be understood and should be accepted by Congress, they are not ready to accept the verdict: RS Prasad
#Congress party has been rejected by the people of the country, this is why they are using this case to fight the battle, which is inappropriate: RS Prasad
#Rahul Gandhi should understand that it is not good to comment on the judges and the top court of the country: RS Prasad
#Rahul Gandhi commenting on the judges proves that he is fighting his political battle through the Supreme Court: BJP leader
#The plea in this regard was made by Congress to oppose the BJP: RS Prasad
#Judge Loya died in 2014 and there was no hype for 3 years, this was done in the favour of Congress party: Ravi Shankar Prasad
#None of the BJP leaders made any statements when the matter was sub judice whereas Congress chief Rahul Gandhi took a contingent of legislators to meet Rashtrapati and made all sort of allegations
#Case was filed to serve Congress' interest, says BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad
Earlier in the day, BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleged that the case was filed not to serve the public interest but to serve the interests of Congress and damage the interests of BJP, 'our party President Amit Shah in particular'.
"Court said political battles must be fought on political grounds. It clearly means that the case was fought as the political battle against our party President Amit Shah. I urge Rahul Gandhi not to fight political battles through corridors of Court," Prasad said at a press conference.
Earlier, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra described the public interest litigations seeking the probe into the death of Judge Loya as "political interest litigation", and charged that Gandhi and his party were behind it.
Noting that the Congress had held press conferences and Gandhi had led a delegation of opposition parties to the President for seeking a probe, Patra said he should "apologise" and be "ashamed" for his conspiracy to target Amit Shah, and Indian judiciary and democracy. The "invisible hand" behind these petitions in the apex court belonged to Gandhi and the Congress, Patra alleged.
The reaction from the ruling party comes moments after Congress slammed BJP for allegedly misinterpreting the SC judgment in the matter.
"BJP is attempting to misinterpret SC judgment to attack Cong reflects its jitteriness," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference, reiterating that the main opposition party was still "committed to people's demand for a fair probe into circumstances surrounding judge Loya's death.
"Sad day in India's history, its people looking for answers," Surjewala said.
The issue of Loya's death had come under the spotlight in November last year after media reports quoting his sister had fuelled suspicion about circumstances surrounding it and its link to the Sohrabuddin case, which he was hearing before he died.
Shah was an accused in the case but was later discharged. Several activists and opposition parties had alleged a foul play in his death.
Watch video | Judge Loya death case: BJP says Rahul Gandhi should apologise to Amit Shah
