Rajeev Chandrasekhar Sends Legal Notice to Shashi Tharoor for Defamation
Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, has sent a legal notice for defamation to his Congress counterpart, Shashi Tharoor. The notice accuses Tharoor of spreading false information and propaganda among the city's voters.
The legal notice claims that Tharoor made defamatory statements during an interview on the Malayalam news channel "24 News." In the interview, Tharoor allegedly accused Chandrasekhar of bribing voters and influential figures, including parish priests, to win the upcoming elections.
Chandrasekhar's legal team asserts that these statements are "totally and completely false" and were made with the "clear mala fide intent to tarnish the reputation" of their client. The notice demands that Tharoor withdraw all allegations and issue an unconditional public apology to Chandrasekhar through print and electronic media.
This legal action comes after Tharoor allegedly violated the Model Code of Conduct, which prohibits political candidates from making criticisms based on "unverified allegations or distortion." In this case, Tharoor's claims about Chandrasekhar bribing voters lack any evidence.
The legal notice further expresses concern that Tharoor's allegations are intended to influence voters and subvert the democratic process. It claims that Tharoor's supporters are spreading these false accusations through social media and messaging apps.
This legal dispute highlights the increasingly contentious nature of political campaigns in India, where accusations and counter-accusations are frequently exchanged. It remains to be seen how this legal notice will impact the upcoming elections in Thiruvananthapuram.