Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday served a Rs10 crore defamation notice to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and State Congress president Kanti lal Bhuria. The defamation notice has been served on a Congress advertisement on corruption. The ad says, “A greedy family has looted Madhya Pradesh.”
The Congress has been taking digs at Chouhan over alleged corruption in the recent past.
The alleged ‘defamatory publication’ in newspapers and internet via an advertisement accused the Chief Minister’s family of keeping a currency counting machine at their official residence, purchase of dumpers and giving contracts to in-laws, among others.
The notice asked the Congress to publish similar size ad in the same papers withdrawing the charges against the CM’s family in a fortnight failing which the two threatened to file a Rs10 crore defamation suit.
A notice has also been sent to the MPCC and its State president Kantilal Bhuria stating that false statements/advertisement published in the media on November 13, 2013 caused an irreparable damage to reputation, trauma and agony to the CM and his wife.
The Congress had placed the advertisement in newspapers across the State that showed silhouettes of a man and a woman and a heading on top saying: “Mukhiya ke munh par tala, lalchhi parivar ne Madhya Pradesh ko loot dala.” (The chief has mouth shut while greedy family has looted Madhya Pradesh). It did not name the CM.
Besides the headline, objections have been raised on other points which reads, “Kyon zaroorat padi note ginne wali machine kiIJ” (What was the need for a currency counting machineIJ). The man’s silhouette resembled what a silhouette of Chouhan would look like.
The ‘defamatory publication’ was issued and published by the MPCC as per the declaration appearing on its right hand corner at the bottom. “Sonia Gandhi is of course in charge of and responsible towards the overall affairs of the Indian National Congress party across all States and union territories of India,” reads the notice issued by advocate Shashank Shekar.
He said publication, which are not only false and concocted, have also been meticulously levelled to harm the goodwill and reputation of his clients and to cause them and their family members maximum mental trauma and harassment.
“The title of the defamatory Publication is absolutely false, frivolous and baseless besides being defamatory. First of its kind in the country, it is under the tenure of Chouhan as the Chief Minister of the State of Madhya Pradesh that the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Guarantee Act, 2010 has received a special award in the United Nations Public Service Award for the year 2012, for excellence in public service,” said the notice.
He pointed out that the allegation of having a currency counting machine at the residence was levelled by Digvijay Singh in 2012 and had failed to substantiate the claim. Also, leader of Opposition is facing a trial for the same.