BHOPAL: Hours after Congress national president Rahul Gandhi’s gaffe about Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s son’s name appearing in the Panama Papers, the MP CM has responded saying he will file a criminal defamation suit against Gandhi.
“Mr Gandhi you have been making patently false allegations of Vyapam to Panama Papers against me and my family. Tomorrow, I’m filing a criminal defamation suit for maximum damages against you for frivolous and malafide statements. Let law take its own course now,” tweeted Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan ten hours ago.
On Monday, while addressing the Parivartan Rally at the Jhabua College Ground in Jhabua district of Malwa-Nimar region of poll bound MP, Rahul said, “Even the name of ex-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appeared in the Panama Papers, after which he was put in jail. But when the name of Mamaji’s (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) son appeared in Panama Papers, why was no action taken against him?”
According to media reports in the past, it was Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh son Abhishek, whose name had appeared in the Panama Papers for allegedly having assets in the British Virgin Islands. In fact, Rahul had himself raked up the issue in Raipur in August and had questioned why no action was taken against the Chhattisgarh CM’s son, a Lok Sabha MP.
Rahul, who is on a two-day trip to Malwa-Nimar region (considered RSS-BJP citadel) had started his tour after offering prayers at the world famous Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain.
In adjoining Indore town, however, BJP national spokesperson had questioned “What was Rahul Gandhi’s gotra.”
On Monday, the first day of his tour, Rahul had addressed public meetings in Ujjain and tribal-dominated Jhabua, besides embarking on a crowded road-show in Lok Sabha speaker and eight-time BJP MP Sumitra Mahajan’s parliamentary constituency, Indore.
On Tuesday, the final day of the tour, Rahul will meet the industrialists and business fraternity in Indore, before travelling to Dhar and Khargone district and will complete the tour by offering tributes Dr BR Ambedkar’s birthplace Mhow in Indore district, before returning to the national capital.