The apex court on April 15 had given a categorical clarification that in its Rafale judgment 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.
New Delhi:
The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP for attacking Rahul Gandhi after he expressed regret in the Supreme Court over remarks in connection with the Rafale judgment, saying the saffron party's "blasphemous misrepresentation" of his reply is criminal contempt of court proceedings.
The apex court on April 15 had given a categorical clarification that in its Rafale judgment 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.
BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao, addressing a press conference here, said, "Today, by filing an affidavit in the honourable SC, Rahul Gandhi accepted that he had lied on his allegations against PM Modi on the Rafale deal."
Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala hit out at the BJP saying, "Fakery has no boundaries. Lies no limitations, disinformation no confines! BJP's blasphemous misrepresentation of Rahul ji's reply to the SC is itself a criminal contempt of court proceedings."
"Issue is sub-judice, Stop passing verdict today! We reiterate -- ek hi chowkidar chor hai (only one watchman is a thief)!" he said.
Gandhi on Monday expressed regret over his remarks, saying he had made the statement in the heat of political campaigning which has been misused by his opponents. He said he had no intention to lower the dignity of the apex court.
The court had directed Gandhi to give his explanation on April 22 on a petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi seeking criminal contempt action against him for his remarks. It is scheduled to hear Lekhi's petition on Tuesday.
Gandhi, who filed an affidavit in response to the apex court's April 15 order, also alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi too has used the SC judgment in the Rafale jet deal case to claim the government has been given a "clean chit" in the matter.