BJP Serves 100-Crore Defamation Notice to Omar Abdullah

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) served a legal notice to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, threatening a 100-crore defamation lawsuit. The notice, issued on behalf of BJP J&K president and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Paul Sharma, demands a written retraction and unconditional public apology within seven days. The dispute stems from a July 11 rally in Srinagar where Abdullah alleged that BJP functionaries attempted to topple his government by offering National Conference (NC) legislators bribes between 20 and 30 crore, ministerial berths, and the restoration of statehood.

Abdullah dismissed the legal notice as a "love letter" and a "mark of respect," asserting that the BJP is using the courts to avoid political confrontation. In response, he announced that the National Conference will initiate its own legal proceedings by sending notices to senior BJP leaders for previous slanderous allegations against the party.

Sat Paul Sharma challenged Abdullah to reveal the specific names of those involved in the alleged poaching or apologize, describing the claims as false and fabricated. This escalation occurs as the National Conference prepares for a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20 to demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, Abdullah criticized the administration for preventing NC leaders from visiting the Martyrs’ Graveyard on July 13.