NEW DELHI: Congress president Rahul Gandhi may tender an explicit apology to the Supreme Court after a three-judge bench expressed dissatisfaction over his counter-affidavit in which he expressed “regret” for erroneously attributing his political slogan “Chowkidar chor hai (watchman is a thief)” directed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale aircraft deal to the court.“We have great difficulty in understanding what you want to say in the affidavit… What is the meaning of regret? I have checked the Oxford dictionary.”The bench clarified that it may or may not eventually accept Gandhi’s apology, keeping the possibility of contempt of court action against him alive till Monday. Gandhi will have to file his affidavit by then.Singhvi told the bench, which included Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph, that the Congress president had “never intended to suggest that the court had endorsed, adopted or supported” the political slogan ‘Chowkidar chor hai’. He also accused Lekhi of trying to gag the Congress’ political campaign against the Rafale deal The court told Singhvi that it was not concerned with the political stand narrated in the affidavit.Lekhi’s counsels, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and advocate Ruchi Kohli, argued for contempt action against the Congress leader, saying that his remark amounted to “gross contempt” and could not be allowed. Following the court’s April 10 order, this plea will also be heard on Monday.Government lawyers, led by attorney-general KK Venugopal, mentioned the case on Tuesday and sought an adjournment of the case — which would have taken any hearing beyond the ongoing general election.

Source: Economic Times May 01, 2019 01:18 UTC