'Have to handle threats to Democracy ourselves': Congress

The Congress on Thursday said it firmly believes that India's democratic processes will have to deal with the threats posed by the ruling government.

In a tweet senior leader Jairam Ramesh wrote, "India's democratic processes themselves have to deal with the threats posed to our democracy by Mr. Modi's assault on our institutions & his politics of vendetta, intimidation, threats & harassment. INC & opposition parties will take him on fearlessly."

The statement comes amid row over senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh's tweet thanking German foreign ministry and Richard Walker, Chief International Editor of Deutsche Welle, for "taking note of how the Democracy is being compromised in India through persecution of Rahul Gandhi".

He tagged a tweet by Walker in which the senior journalist had posted a video of a German foreign ministry spokesperson reacting to Gandhi's disqualification.

Sharing a screenshot of Digivijaya Singh's tweet, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Thank you Rahul Gandhi for inviting foreign powers for interference into India's internal matters." "Remember, Indian Judiciary can't be influenced by foreign interference. India won't tolerate 'foreign influence' anymore because our Prime Minister is:- Shri @narendramodi Ji," Rijiju said.

BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya also tagged Singh's tweet and said, "Shameful that Congress continues to lean on foreign agencies and seek their intervention in India's internal affairs." "Rahul Gandhi had recently sought Europe and US intervention and now it is Digvijay Singh. But Law is the Law... Unless somebody thinks Law is not the Law for them," he said.

BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also hit out at the Congress, alleging that the party "celebrating Germany/U.S. remarks on Rahul Gandhi's case shows their political desperation".

"Rejected by Indian voters now looking for acceptance by foreign powers is sad reality of Congress! Judiciary must take note of daily maligning of courts by Congress brigade!" he said.

Earlier this week, a US state department official had said the United States is watching the court case of Rahul Gandhi. The official had observed that the US continues to engage with India on the shared commitment towards democratic principles and the protection of human rights, including freedom of expression.