Rafale deal: BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of gross contempt of court

The BJP on Wednesday accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of "gross contempt of court", saying he attributed to the Supreme Court what it never said in its order on the Rafale deal.

BJP leader and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also asserted that the court's order, which allowed leaked documents to be relied upon by petitioners seeking review of its Rafale judgment while rejecting the government's objections, was not a setback and that the Congress will not be able to "shows its face".

The matter will become crystal clear in the court, she told reporters.

Citing the order, Gandhi claimed the court has accepted that "chowkidar chor hai", a reference to his allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a thief, and that he gave money to industrialist Anil Ambani.

Lashing out at the Congress chief, Sitharaman said he had crossed the line of decency in his comments on the court's order and added that it underlines his frustration that he was attributing words to the SC that it never uttered.

The order was limited to whether the documents, which the government had argued should not be considered by the court as they were obtained illegally, should be accepted by the apex court or not, she said.

Gandhi does not read even half a paragraph of the court's order and goes by what his advisers tell him, Sitharaman claimed, accusing him of gross contempt of court.

Noting that Gandhi was accompanied by his mother Sonia Gandhi, sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra who is being probed for controversial land deals among others when he filed his nomination from Amethi seat, the BJP leader in a swipe at him said Christian Michel had referred to them as "the family".

Michel is under arrest for his involvement in the alleged corruption in the VVIP chopper deal.

The BJP has used some of his alleged disclosures to accuse the Gandhi family of involvement in the case, a charge rejected by the Congress, which has in turn charged the government with misuse of probe agencies for political purposes.

Attacking Rahul Gandhi, Sitharaman said he is himself out on a bail a reference to the National Herald case and has been telling lies to throw muck at Modi who, she added, does not face any charge.

Asked about his challenge to Modi for a debate, she said the Congress leader should first answer whether the court's order has said what he alleged in his reaction.

She declined to comment on Pakistan's premier Imran Khan's comments that there may be a better chance of peace talks with India and settle the Kashmir issue if BJP wins the general election.