It's 2017, not 1817: Rahul Gandhi attacks Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje over ordinance to shield officers, ministers

NEW DELHI: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who had torn a UPA ordinance aimed at protecting tainted politicians, attacked Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje for bringing a new law to shield bureaucrats, ministers and lawmakers.

"Madam Chief Minister, with all humility we are in the 21st century. It's 2017, not 1817,” Rahul tweeted.

Madam Chief Minister, with all humility we are in the 21'st century. It's 2017, not 1817. https://t.co/ezPfca2NPS

— Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 22, 2017

Rahul had publicly torn an ordinance brought by the Manmohan Singh government to protect corrupt politicians in 2013, embarrassing both the Congress and the prime minister.

The controversy over Rajasthan government ordinance has given the Congress an opportunity to target the BJP, which has been talking of fighting corruption at the national level.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) 2017 is slated to come up before the state government for its nod on Monday. The Congress has opposed the state government for passing the ordinance that will not allow courts to take up private complaints against government officers, legislators and ministers.

Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot accused chief minister Vasundhara Raje of institutionalising corruption in the past four years. “Cong party will oppose this tooth and nail.This is the"unmasking" of the BJP..protect the corrupt, take away powers of the court&gag the media,” Pilot tweeted.

Cong party will oppose this tooth and nail.This is the"unmasking"of the BJP..protect the corrupt,take away powers of the court&gag the media https://t.co/oqWjD4Mhe3

— Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) October 22, 2017

“If this isn't arrogance of power and display of intent to protect the corrupt, then what is?,” he said.

Former Rajasthan chief minister and Congress veteran Ashok Gehlot said the ordinance showed panic within the BJP as assembly elections are due next year. “The BJP government has started to panic as elections are approaching and the results are written on the wall. The amendment in CRPC by way of ordinance prohibiting even investigation into its corrupt deeds shows the panic in Rajasthan BJP govt,” Gehlot tweeted.

The BJP government has started to panic as elections are approaching and the results are written on the wall. #RajasthanOrdinance #Rajasthan

— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) October 22, 2017

The state government has countered the Congress charge saying there was no provision in the ordinance to protect corrupt officials. The issue is likely to snowball with elections for Himachal and Gujarat assemblies getting closer.