Won't support adventurism on NJAC: Congress to Modi govt

New Delhi: Congress Saturday ruled out supporting any "adventurism" by Government on NJAC issue, saying there was a great "trust deficit" under Narendra Modi dispensation and its actions have led to a perception that it was trying to subvert institutions, including judiciary.

"At the moment, you have to forget the past and look ahead....There is a great trust deficit as far as government is concerned... Feeling that government wants to impose its will including on judiciary," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

"We will not support adventurism of the government per se," he said when asked whether the party would back any government move in the wake of the Constitution bench verdict scrapping the Act for setting up a National Judicial Appointments Commission to appoint judges to the higher judiciary.

Noting that there was a perception that government was "assaulting" institutions, he suggested that it would be better that government learnt from it.

"Please remove clearly perception and understanding of the people from your actions that you are trying to subvert institutions," he said.

At the same time, he said that the party does not certainly feel that collegium is "acceptable or unacceptable."

Noting that there was much to improve, he said that the Congress would look forward to reform of the collegium system at the November three hearing by the Supreme Court in the matter.

The Congress had yesterday targeted Modi government saying the NJAC judgment implicitly reflected "lack of confidence" in government which has "eroded" institutional autonomy and constitutional safeguards over last 17 months.

"Independence of judiciary is a key fundamental of our democracy. There can be no compromise on the same," Congress' chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala had said.

The Congress leader expressed confidence that Indian democracy will find a way out of the situation.

"Over 67 years, our Constitution has seen many such healthy interpretations on a number of issues including Right to Property and Abolition of Privy Purses, issue of reservation for Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes etc.

"Every time inherent strength of Indian democracy has resulted in resolution of the issue in favour of people of the country," he had said.