Bangalore, Sept 30: AICC president Sonia Gandhi today refused to join issue with Defence Minister George Fernandes, who threatened to slam defamation and treason charges against Congress leaders if they do not stop the "dirty game" of raking up the 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 yesterday: "Not only defamation suit but also treason charges 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 today. Quite a few incidents of suicide by farmers have 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 here, 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.

Bureau Report