The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has served a legal notice to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of making false, baseless and defamatory allegations against the party during a convention in Srinagar on July 11.
The notice, dated July 13 and issued through advocate Parimoksh Seth on behalf of the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, states that the party was acting on the instructions of Sat Paul Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP J&K president.
According to the notice, Abdullah allegedly claimed that BJP functionaries had approached National Conference MLAs from the Jammu region with offers of ₹20–30 crore, ministerial positions and restoration of statehood in an attempt to persuade them to switch allegiance. It also alleges that he accused a senior BJP functionary, who is a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court, of offering bribes to NC legislators. The BJP has denied the allegations, describing them as false, malicious and without any factual basis.
The legal notice states that the remarks, which were widely reported in the print, electronic and social media, have damaged the party’s reputation and image. It contends that the statements amount to defamation and are actionable under civil and criminal law.
The BJP has demanded that Abdullah withdraw the allegations in writing, issue an unconditional public apology within seven days of receiving the notice, refrain from making or circulating any further defamatory statements, and immediately cease repeating the allegations.
The notice warns that failure to comply within the stipulated period would compel the party to initiate appropriate civil and criminal proceedings, including a defamation suit seeking damages of ₹100 crore, along with other legal remedies available under law.
