The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Punjab government (chief minister Bhagwant SinghMann) are in a spot after a sharp and detailed legal notices sent to them by Sardar Iqbal Singh Lalpura , the chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) over a “false and malicious FB post” by the party. The notice demands a public apology and compensation.
The Indian Express reports that, after a controversial and unsubstantiated post on the AAP’s Facebook page featured his photo with the caption “Most Corrupt Persons of Punjab”, Lalpura has demanded an apology. The post has since been taken down. However, Lalpura has demanded the removal of “false publishing from all social media’’ as well as an unconditional apology in print, digital and social media platforms, along with a “corrigendum clarifying the correct facts’’.
In the notice, Lalpura’s legal team has accused AAP of “deliberately, intentionally, in mala fide and for ulterior motives best known to you, are spreading rumors and spreading false information via various social media channels by publishing the photograph of our client under the caption ‘Most Corrupt Persons of Punjab’ with the photograph of our client stamped as ‘arrested’ on your, the addressees’, official Facebook page on June 22, 2022.’’
While accepting that the post has since been taken down by the party, the notice said that “nevertheless the same was posted online for more than a couple of hours, which was viewed by many people on your website, who have commented to the same, and have taken screenshots, which are now being circulated in various social media platforms.’’
AAP considers itself to be the flagbearer of the anti-corruption plank, an issue that had won it the recent Punjab Assembly elections The Punjab chief minister has also since released an anti-corruption helpline number to help people lodge complaints through WhatsApp.
“It is pertinent to bring to your knowledge that our client aforesaid is a former IPS officer [who], during his tenure as an IPS officer, served as SSP Amritsar, SSP Tarn Taran, and Additional Inspector General CID Amritsar. He, in his public life since 1972, has had an unblemished, meritorious and distinguished police service record. He has to his credit more than 75 appreciation letters and awards. He was an active police officer during the phase when Punjab witnessed terrorism. The awards he has won include President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Services on 15h August, 1989 and the President’s Police medal for Distinguished Services on 15h August, 1998,’’ read the legal notice.
The notice from the NCM chief demands an unconditional apology and a corrigendum within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice, Lalpura has also demanded monetary compensation for the damage done to his reputation as well as an additional Rs 55,000 in legal charges. Lalpura said he would take further legal recourse if the AAP failed to comply.
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