New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi engaged in a war of words with law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Twitter over the huge pendency of cases in courts and shortage of judges.

In a series of tweets, Rahul said that the legal system is collapsing under pending cases but Prasad is busy “peddling fake news” instead.

His attack came after Prasad accused the Congress of hiring the services of controversial data firm Cambridge Analytica, accused of harvesting data stolen from Facebook, in previous elections. The charge has been denied by the Congress, which instead accused the BJP of using the services of the firm.

“Legal system collapsing under Pending Cases: Supreme Court 55,000+, High Court 37 Lakh+, Lower Courts 2.6 Crore+. Yet, a staggering 400 High Court and 6,000 Lower Court judges not appointed, while Law Minister preoccupied peddling fake news, Gandhi said on Twitter, using the hashtag Judiciary Demonetised.

Legal system collapsing under Pending Cases: Supreme Court55,000 +High Court37 Lakh +Lower Courts2.6 Crore +Yet, a staggering 400 High Court and 6,000 Lower Court judges not appointed, while Law Minister preoccupied peddling fake news. #JudiciaryDemonetised pic.twitter.com/qSpKcIuPKW — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 24, 2018

He also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over delay in appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. "Justice K M Joseph, overturned President's rule in Uttarakhand in 2016. When his name was proposed for the Supreme Court, Modi jis ego was hurt. Approval of over 100 judges, cleared for the Supreme Court and various High Courts are now on hold. #JudiciaryDemonetised(sic)," he said in another tweet.

Justice K M Joseph, overturned President’s rule in Uttarakhand in 2016.When his name was proposed for the Supreme Court, Modi ji‘s ego was hurt.Approval of over 100 judges, cleared for the Supreme Court and various High Courts are now on hold.#JudiciaryDemonetised — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 24, 2018

Not one to take the attack lying down, Prasad responded with a series of tweets of his own. “Mr. Rahul Gandhi, the notice given to Cambridge Analytica for Data Manipulation has naturally worried you. Angry, frustrated and apprehensive, you are now dragging the judiciary. Deeply reprehensible,” he wrote.

With a series of charts up his sleeve, he said that the pendency of cases of shortage of judges was a legacy of the UPA government and the BJP has been working hard to improve the situation.

“Mr Rahul Gandhi, maintaining your track record your team has failed you once again by not doing their homework. Average appointments of High Court Judges under UPA-1 was 86 per year, and in UPA-2 it was 79 per year. Under NDA it has been 109 per year,” he wrote.

Mr Rahul Gandhi, maintaining your track record your team has failed you once again by not doing their homework. Average appointments of High Court Judges under UPA-1 was 86 per year, and in UPA-2 it was 79 per year. Under NDA it has been 109 per year. pic.twitter.com/84QX8RK0jC — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 24, 2018

In 2016 a record 126 High Court Judges were appointed in one year- highest since independence. Since May 2014 NDA Govt appointed 17 SC Judges, 326 HC judges & made 304 additional judges permanent & also created 173 new posts of High Court Judges, compared to 20 created in UPA 2 pic.twitter.com/PoummhmylL — Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) March 24, 2018

The law minister said the Modi government has also improved infrastructure, increased digitisation and introduced greater technology application for disposal of cases.