The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday issued a legal notice to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his allegations that the party attempted to destabilise his government by offering money and political positions to National Conference (NC) legislators. The notice seeks an unconditional public apology within seven days and warns of legal action, including a Rs 100 crore defamation suit, if the demand is not met.
The legal notice was issued on behalf of Jammu and Kashmir BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Paul Sharma by advocate Parimoksh Seth of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. According to the notice, Abdullah's allegations were "false, baseless and defamatory" and had damaged the reputation of BJP leaders and functionaries. The party has denied the claims and demanded that the Chief Minister withdraw his statements.
The BJP's notice refers to allegations made by Omar Abdullah during a National Conference convention in Srinagar on July 11. Addressing party workers, Abdullah had claimed that BJP functionaries approached NC MLAs from the Jammu region with offers of Rs 20-30 crore, ministerial positions and restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in exchange for switching political allegiance.
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Abdullah had alleged that a Supreme Court lawyer, who is also associated with the BJP, met one of his party's legislators privately and made such an offer. Without naming the legislator, he claimed that attempts were being made to persuade NC MLAs to leave the party. He further alleged that after financial incentives and ministerial positions failed, the issue of restoring statehood was being used as another inducement.
The BJP, however, has rejected these allegations and accused the Chief Minister of making statements without evidence. The legal notice stated that such remarks had harmed the image of BJP leaders and created a false impression among the public. The party has sought an apology and warned that failure to comply would lead to further legal proceedings.
The controversy comes amid ongoing political discussions in Jammu and Kashmir over governance, statehood restoration and relations between regional parties and national political organisations. The restoration of statehood has remained a major political issue in the Union Territory, with several parties demanding that the status be restored after the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
As of now, the allegations and counterclaims remain part of a political dispute, with no legal finding establishing the claims made by either side. The next developments are expected to depend on whether Omar Abdullah responds to the BJP's notice within the stipulated period and whether the matter proceeds to court. The dispute adds another layer to the continuing political tensions between the BJP and the National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir.
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