Bangalore: All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi on September 30 refused to join issue with Defence Minister George Fernandes, who threatened to slam defamation and treason charge against Congress leaders if they do not stop the "dirty game" of raking up alleged 'coffingate' scam.

"I do not wish to respond to that question," Gandhi said when reporters sought her reaction at the airport on her arrival by a private jet from Indore.

Fernandes told reporters in Bhopal on September 29, "Not only defamation suit, but also treason charge will be slammed against the Congress in a court of law…I will not wait for eternity if Congress does not stop the dirty game of propagating false accusations."

Meanwhile, Gandhi is scheduled to visit the houses of farmers who committed suicide in Kanakapura and Channapatna taluks of Bangalore Rural district later on September 30. A wave of farmers' suicides has been reported in Karnataka in the last few weeks.

Gandhi is accompanied by senior party leaders Ambika Soni and Vayalar Ravi.

Earlier, on her arrival in Bangalore, she was welcomed by Chief Minister S M Krishna, Home Minister M Mallikarjuna Kharge and several ministers besides Karnataka Pradesh Congress president B Janardhana Poojary.

PTI