Supreme Court notice to Rahul Gandhi for chowkidar Rafale chor remark against Modi

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi for dragging the apex court into his 'chowkidar chor hai' campaign against PM Narendra Modi.

The Supreme Court has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit his reply by April 22. (Photo:PTI)

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Supreme Court has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit his response by Monday
• BJP had filed a petition after Rahul Gandhi hit out at PM Modi at a rally with chowkidar chor hai remark
• The next hearing is on April 23

The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi in connection with a contempt petition filed against him by the Bharatiya Janata Party on the Rafale controversy.

The BJP had filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Friday after the Congress president hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally with chowkidar chor hai remark.

After the Supreme Court announced its decision to allow leaked Rafale documents to review a previous judgment, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had claimed a moral victory and said the court has made it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "committed theft".

Following this, the BJP filed a contempt plea against Gandhi for calling the Prime Minister a chor’.

The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of contempt of court and seeking action against him for levelling unsubstantiated charges against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale deal.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi had filed the criminal contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Rahul Gandhi and pleaded that the Congress president had deliberately misinterpreted the court’s recent order in the Rafale deal.

The Supreme Court has asked Rahul Gandhi to submit his response by Monday (April 22). The next hearing is on April 23.

A BJP delegation, including defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, also approached the Election Commission demanding action against Rahul Gandhi over his remark against Modi on Rafale deal.

The BJP delegation had urged the EC to take cognisance of Rahul’s abusive remarks against the Prime Minister and initiate action.

The Congress president is using abusive words against the Prime Minister that are untrue. He is repeatedly calling the Prime Minister a chor’ by putting words in the mouth of the Supreme Court, Sitharaman said.

SOURCE