Resmi Sivaram

Congress party chief Rahul Gandhi will offer an apology for linking the Supreme Court to his slogan ‘chowkidar chor hai’ which implies that the prime minister is a thief. As Rahul’s expression of regret didn’t seem to have impressed the court bench led by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, his lawyer on Tuesday offered a revised affidavit with the word apology included.

The court said it will decide next Monday whether to accept it.

The BJP had objected to the Congress chief’s earlier affidavit expressing regret, saying it is nowhere near an unqualified apology.

Rahul’s lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was a mistake that the affidavit did not contain the word “apology” and a fresh one would be filed.

“I have checked the dictionary, regret means apology. (But) I will say apology,” Singhvi told the court.

“We heard all. After extensive hearing, Singhvi wants to file additional affidavit. It is open for the respondent to file affidavit. The acceptance of any such affidavit will be considered on Monday,” said the bench, which also includes Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and KM Joseph.

“I have made three errors, I accept. I wrongly attributed the statements to My Lords. I apologise. It was never my intention to suggest that the Supreme Court endorsed, adopted or supported the political slogan ‘Chowkidar chor hai,’” Singhvi told the court.

The BJP demanded that Rahul’s affidavit be rejected. “There is one word, regret, in the affidavit. Either justify or apologise. It is gross contempt. Affidavit has to be unconditional apology. If you made a mistake come clean,” Mukul Rohatgi, lawyer for petitioner Meenakshi Lekhi, told the court.

When the Chief Justice said, “We have great difficulty in understanding what your client says,” Singhvi assured the court that he would “make a correction” and file a “better affidavit” on Monday.