New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi filed a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court Wednesday, tendering an “unconditional apology” for his ‘chowkidar chor hai’ jibe wrongly attributed to the top court.
On 10 April, immediately after the Supreme Court agreed to hear a review plea in the Rafale case, Gandhi had said that the top court used the ‘chowkidar chor hai’ jibe for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“…Any such attributions were entirely unintentional, non-willful and inadvertent,” the Congress chief said Wednesday.
In his three-page response, the Congress chief submitted that “he holds this Hon’ble Court in the highest esteem and respect”, and never “sought or intended to, directly or indirectly, commit any act that interferes with the process of administration of justice”.
Gandhi’s response comes on a plea filed by BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi who sought action for contempt after the Congress chief’s comments.
Also read: Like Rahul Gandhi, British in India viewed chowkidars as ‘chors’ too
Third time lucky
The Wednesday affidavit is Gandhi’s third in this matter. In his previous responses, Gandhi had expressed regret and admitted that his statement where he suggested that the Supreme Court said ‘chowkidar chor hai’ was made in the “heat of political campaigning”.
While not explicitly apologising for his remarks, Gandhi had said last week, “It (his statement) has been used (and misused) by my political opponents to project that I had deliberately and intentionally suggested that this Court had said chowkidar chor hai!
“…it is clear and obvious that no court, much less the Apex Court, would adopt, endorse or uphold a political slogan like the above,” Gandhi had said in his response.
The Congress chief had also said that he didn’t intend to bring the top court into the “political arena”.
Gandhi has been leading a campaign against the Modi government, accusing it of corruption in the Rafale defence deal. He has alleged favour on the government’s part towards industrialist Anil Ambani, coining the jibe ‘chowkidar chor hai’ in the process.
Also read: What Rahul Gandhi told the Supreme Court in his plea over his Rafale remarks
1. It is not clear whether apology of Congress President is sincere or not. The Supreme Court will take an appropriate decision. 2. As a citizen-voter I think all citizen-voters should know full details about Rafale aircrafts’ deal and there should be a thorough investigation of deal from alleged corruption angle. However, let us not forget here that Rafale aircrafts deal is just one instance of alleged corruption in defence equipment procurement deals. 3. We know that all these years defence deals have been a source of funds for the party & politicians in power in the Centre. Therefore, my question in this regard is very simple: Do Congress & other opposition parties wish that corruption in all fields, including defence deals, be curbed? Or they just wish to be in power by making allegations of corruption and win over the gullible voters? 4. Congress President Shri Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly made serious allegations against NDA government and in particular against PM Shri Narendra Modi as regards Rafale aircrafts deal. Citizen-voters like me are not sure that the Congress President is really against corruption. I think that (a) Shri Rahul Gandhi wishes to make use of allegations of corruption to seize power and (b) but he is not at all serious about curbing corruption in defence deals or about curbing use of black money in elections. 4. Citizens wish that Shri Rahul Gandhi should make a public announcement about what the Congress led UPA government would do about Rafale deal assuming that Congress and UPA are voted to power after 2019 Lok Sabha election. Citizens wish to know this: would the Rafale deal be renegotiated, would it be cancelled, would those who are responsible in NDA government be tried for misuse of power? These questions are in citizens’ mind and they need a straight forward answer. Would Congress president give answers in national interest? Let us see how he responds to questions from citizens like me.