PM 'Rafale clean chit' to be Rahul's SC defence

The Congress is likely to cite Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claims of Supreme Court granting his government a “clean chit” in the Rafale deal as it defends the contempt of court notice issued to Rahul Gandhi in connection with the fighter jet deal.

“They have sought an explanation, we will give an explanation. Remember Modi Ji when he said that the Supreme Court has given me a clean chit,” senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal told reporters here when asked to comment on the top court's notice to Rahul.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that Rahul had misquoted it on the Rafale documents and that it had never made the observation. The Congress president had remarked in Amethi that even the apex court had said 'chowkidar chor hai'.

Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the BJP's interpretation of Rahul's remarks was “completely distorted” and that the Congress would give a “comprehensive, strong and effective explanation” to the apex court.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hit out at the Congress chief saying that democracy did not permit “dynasts” to rewrite judicial orders.

“Dynasts are also subject to the Supreme Court. Indian democracy does not permit them to rewrite court orders,” Jaitley said in a series of tweets.

“To manufacture a court order for political propaganda is a new low for Rahul Gandhi. The lower he sinks, the higher we rise,” Jaitley said.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged the Election Commission to take serious cognisance of Rahul's statements on the SC verdict on the Rafale review petition.

BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi had moved a contempt petition against the Congress president in the wake of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment concerning maintainability in the Rafale review case.