Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleged on Sunday that the Congress had threatened Supreme Court judges with impeachment when they tried to hear the Ayodhya dispute earlier this year.

Without naming anyone, Modi claimed that some Congress Rajya Sabha members who are also lawyers had tried to intimidate the judges to ensure the hearing was delayed until after the general election.

Seven Opposition parties led by the Congress had moved a notice for impeaching then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra in April this year, accusing him of “misbehaviour” and “misuse” of authority.

Rajya Sabha Chairperson M. Venkaiah Naidu had rejected the notice, saying the case against Justice Misra was based on “suspicion and conjectures”.

At a political rally in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on Sunday, Modi said the Congress had no faith in democracy and the judiciary. “It does not hold a dialogue and stalls proceedings in Parliament, but the new game it is playing is dangerous and must be debated,” the Prime Minister said.

“If a Supreme Court judge does not prepare the timetable (for hearing cases) in keeping with its (the Congress’s) political intentions and wants to hear everyone to deliver justice on a serious and sensitive issue, such as Ayodhya, then the party’s lawyers, who are Rajya Sabha members, start the game of scaring the judges in the name of impeachment.”

He added: “They are working to scare the judiciary on the ground of their numbers in the Rajya Sabha. But we will not let this black act happen in the temple of democracy.”

Modi slammed the Congress for “asking about the caste of Modi”.

Congress politician C.P. Joshi had cited the caste affiliations of Modi and some other BJP leaders to question their right to talk of Hinduism, saying Brahmins alone understood religion — a comment for which party president Rahul Gandhi forced him to apologise.

“Will you vote on the basis of the caste of Modi? Will the future of Rajasthan be decided on the basis of Modi’s birthplace?” the Prime Minister said.