RaGa expresses “regret” in SC over remarks on Rafale verdict

Team Udayavani, Apr 29, 2019, 7:25 PM IST

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday expressed regret again for “incorrectly” attributing his ‘chowkidar chor hai’ remark to the Supreme Court and accused BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi of trying to drag the court into political controversy for “personal gains and political mileage” by moving the contempt petition against him.

Seeking dismissal of the contempt petition over his remark against the prime minister in his response to the Rafale verdict, Gandhi filed a fresh affidavit reiterating that his statement was made in the “heat of political campaigning” and there was not the “slightest intention to insinuate” anything regarding the Supreme Court proceedings in any manner.

The statement was made in Hindi in a “rhetorical flourish” in the heat of the moment, he said.

The apex court on April 15 gave a categorical clarification that in its Rafale verdict there was no occasion for it to make a mention of the contemptuous observation that ‘chowkidar Narendra Modi chor hain’ as has been attributed to it by Gandhi.

Gandhi, who filed the fresh affidavit following the formal notice issued to him by the apex court on a criminal contempt petition filed against him by Lekhi, has written the word “regret” in bracket.

On April 22, Gandhi filed an affidavit in response to the apex court’s order asking him to give an explanation over his remarks and said he was expressing “regret” over it.

However, during the hearing in the matter on April 23, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Lekhi, told a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi that the word ‘regret’ was in a bracket and actually it was a “lip service of apology”.

Gandhi said his April 10 statement was made in purely political context to counter the “misinformation campaign” being led by senior BJP functionaries as well as the government that the apex court verdict on December 14 last year was a “clean chit” to the Centre regarding all the aspects of the controversial Rafale fighter jet deal.

The apex court earlier said it will hear Lekhi’s contempt petition on April 30.

In her plea, Lekhi, the Lok Sabha MP from New Delhi constituency, alleged that Gandhi has attributed his personal remarks to the top court and tried to create prejudice.