Tamil Nadu's main opposition party, the DMK, has issued a legal notice to the BJP over 'defamatory' tweets from the national party's Twitter account. The party is seeking Rs 100 crore in damages, to be paid to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund as relief to COVID-19 patients and victims.
On March 30, the BJP Tamil Nadu Twitter account, notorious for tweeting controversial remarks and deleting them following backlash, tweeted in Tamil, accusing the DMK of showing constituency development funds as its own.
“The DMK (@arivalayam), which has shown constituency development funds, as personal money. MK Stalin (@mkstalin) spending 380 crores to create a non-existent image. Have you got the conscience to contribute only one crore for your own people? That money which grazed the back of your hand while you were in power and enjoying the fruits of corruption, why don't you give that to the people.” said the tweet which has since been deleted.
A letter from the DMK's legal counsel, P Wilson, states that the tweet is 'highly malicious, defamatory, scandalous and misleading.' “The aforesaid tweets have been posted by the [JP Nadda, National President, BJP] and [L Murugan, Tamil Nadu State President, BJP] of you or under your directions, knowing full well that there is no truth to it, and with an intention of lowering the reputation and dignity of the DMK party and its President, MK Stalin, Leader of Opposition, Tamil Nadu.” reads the legal notice.
“The DMK Trust has donated a sum of Rupees One Crore to the relief of COVID-19 victims. Every MP and MLA of the DMK party who has allocated funds out of the constituency development fund has made it clear that it is from the said fund,” the party said, detailing the efforts undertaken by the DMK to help fight the pandemic.
Further, the DMK pointed to another tweet, posted on March 31 which carried an image of the amounts supposedly paid to various entities. It seemingly contrasted the 1 crore given by the party to the amounts paid allegedly paid by the DMK to political strategist Prashant Kishore, the CPI, the CPI (M) and politician Konge Easwaran.
The notice called upon the BJP President and the state chief to 'tender unconditional apology for the aforesaid tweets, and retract the same within 24 hours of receipt of this notice on the same platform’.
It also demanded, “Jointly and severally pay a sum of Rupees One Hundred Crores as damage to the relief of COVID-19 patients and victims, payable to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund Account No: 117201000000070 Indian Overseas Bank, Secretariat Branch, Chennai, IFSC Code: IOBA 0001172). Cease and desist from tweeting, broadcasting, publishing or disseminating any material defaming the DMK or its President In any form or manner, failing which, our client states that it shall be constrained to initiate appropriate civil and criminal action against both of you in a manner known to law.”
The notice also called upon Twitter to "disclose the verification details of the Twitter handle @BJP4TamilNadu" and “remove aforementioned offending tweets forthwith and block the said twitter handle violations of Twitter's guidelines which includes false propaganda and defamation.”