The BJP’s Tamil Nadu state unit has issued a legal notice against Tamil newspaper Dinamalar for its article titled ‘Kamalalayam may soon have a Vishaka Committee’ published on June 23. In its legal notice sent to the paper on June 23, the BJP has demanded a written apology and a compensation of Rs 100 crore for defamation and character assassination by reporting and publishing the article. The notice says that failure to act would force the BJP and its state unit to initiate legal proceedings — both criminal and civil — against the newspaper and its editor K Ramasubbu.
In its article, Dinamalar had reported that at a June 19 review meeting of the BJP state unit at a star hotel in Mahaballipuram, its National General Secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi had allegedly stated that the party had received hundreds of sexual harassment complaints, and many complaints against one particular leader. Citing sources, the Dinamalar article stated that Ravi had allegedly reprimanded several leaders in the party. Ravi is also alleged to have said the party may have to set up a Vishaka committee in Kamalalayam, the BJP’s state headquarters.
Calling the article ‘totally false’, the legal notice states,”The Noticer (TN State BJP General Secretary Karu Nagarajan) states that in the above referred part of the article contained false allegations and imputations that 134 complaints are received by the party high command as if several improprieties were committed against women by the party functionaries and more particularly in five star hotels.”
The notice denied that the party had received sexual harassment complaints and that any meeting had taken place at a five star hotel. “The Noticer states that without prejudice to its any other rights or that of any other leader or organ of BJP, the Noticer states and declares that you and your daily 'Dinamalar jointly and severally, committed unlawful acts including defamation, spreading canards and false information outraging and damaging the popularity, image, goodwill and reputation of BJP by publishing false and defamatory article as aforesaid which are actionable in law — both civil and criminal — and also under statutory regulations and thus both and each of you, jointly and severally, are liable to render apology to the Noticer besides compensating by paying Rs.100 crores for the pain, ignominy, agony and detamation caused to and suffered by BJP and its TN State Unit,” the notice said.
BJP National General Secretary and TN-in charge CT Ravi also issued a statement on Thursday, stating that the June 19 meeting was a ‘Chintan Baitak’, called to discuss the performance of the party in the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election. Denying that he had spoken about sexual harassment complaints, he said, “I was shocked by seeing the false, frivolous, fabricated and misleading news article about the said meeting and its agendas in your prestigious newspaper. I haven’t spoken a single word on our party leaders as alleged in your newspaper. Hence, I deny the contents of news published. The said article ‘Kamalalayathil Visaka Committee Visarikkum Soozhal Varum’ (Situation will arise to have Visaka Committee in Kamalalayam) is outrageous and obnoxious, that too without the name of the reporter.”
He also sought that the paper issue his rebuttal of the article and urged them to ‘cross check the veracity and authenticity’ of his political statements in the future.
Speaking to TNM, CT Ravi denied that there was any discussion on the Vishaka committee or that there were complaints against any party member. “We have not discussed anything about the Vishakha committee or any such things, there has been no complaint filed against anybody either.”
“We spoke about Vision Tamil Nadu. We discussed why we could not encash the schemes allotted by the Modi government in Tamil Nadu, discussed leadership, DMK’s distraction tactics etc,” he added.
Ravi also said that he had issued a statement to Dinamalar and they have published the same. "We have asked them to check who gave them false information. A newspaper like Dinamalar did not even contact me or anyone on our side before publishing. This will erode their credibility, said Ravi, "The local unit will take a decision on what is to be done next. Since they have particularly mentioned my name, I had to react."