BJP sends legal notice to Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar

The Karnataka BJP has issued legal notices to Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar demanding that they apologize for accusing the government of corruption or face a defamation suit.

The notices seek a public apology for the allegations levelled against the government on irregularities in the procurement of Covid-19 equipment and supplies.

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Both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, the Karnataka Congress president, have been doggedly pursuing allegations of corruption against the BJP government and have demanded a judicial inquiry.

BJP general secretary N Ravi Kumar said that while the Congress leaders claimed that Rs 4,157 crore was spent during Covid-19, they also allege that the government has not responded to any of the 20 letters written by them. "If the government has not provided any answer to the Opposition, where did they get the figures from," he said.

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None of the allegations of corruption is specific and the statements made are factually incorrect. "These statements, without any basis, have been issued calculatedly to lower the image and damage the reputation of the government, the Bharatiya Janata Party, representatives of the party and the ministers in the government," the notice issued on behalf of Ravi Kumar read.

The allegations constitute a “classic case of slander which constitutes both civil and criminal defamation,” the notice read, demanding Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar to withdraw all allegations and tender an unconditional apology. "Failing which, my client will be constrained to take appropriate legal action," the notice read.