BJP’s Vinod Tawde Sends Rs 100 Cr Defamation Notice To Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Slams ‘Congress’ Low-Level Politics’

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Vinod Tawde on Friday sent a Rs 100 crore defamation notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate for their accusation against him of distributing money to voters to bribe them. 

Tawde has sought an unconditional apology from the Congress leaders for the allegations levelled by them, failing which they would be sued. The BJP leader slammed them for their “low-level of politics” and making “false and baseless” allegations. 

Sharing the notice on his social media account on X (formerly Twitter), Tawde said that he is hurt because of the allegations made against him and hit out at the Congress leaders for maligning his and BJP’s image by spreading lies. He also stressed that the alleged money was not recovered by the Election Commission and the police.

“The truth is before everyone… the alleged amount of ₹ 5 crore was not recovered during the investigation by the Election Commission and the police. This case is proof of Congress’ low-level politics,” he wrote on X.

Now that the elections have concluded, Tawde has issued a notice to the leaders, accusing them of making false and baseless accusations “with the sole intention of damaging the prospects of the party”.

“You all have deliberately. mischievously with the sole intention for damaging the reputation of our client intentionally fabricated the story distribution of money. You all have published the false, baseless allegations against our client on various media for tarnishing his image in the eyes of right thinking people in the society,” the notice sent by Tawde read.

He also lashed out at the leaders for not checking facts and failing to perform the duties as office bearers of a respected political party to make false allegations to damage the his reputation.

Speaking to reporters regarding the notice sent by him, Tawde said: “On the eve of Maharashtra Assembly elections, 19th November, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party spokesperson Supriya said that Vinod Tawde was caught red-handed with Rs 5 crores distributing to voters and all kind of dramatic statement. They just wanted to defame me and my party. I am seriously hurt”.  

Demanding apology from the Congress leaders, he added: “I come from a regular middle-class family, for the last 40 years, I have been in politics but I have never done anything like that. Congress leaders wanted to defame me, party and my leaders so they purposefully spoke this untruth to the media and people, hence I have issued a court notice to them that they should apologise publicly or face the action”.

Cash-For-Vote Row

The cash-for-votes row erupted on the eve of the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Bahujan Vikas Aghadi leader Hitendra Thakur had alleged on November 19 that Tawde was distributing money to voters in Nallasopara seat in Palghar district.

“Some BJP leaders informed me that BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde is coming to Virar to disburse Rs 5 crore to influence voters. I thought a national leader like him would not stoop to such a trivial task. But I saw him here. I urge the Election Commission to take action against him and the BJP,” Thakur had said.

However, both Tawde and BJP had dismissed the allegations. 

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had attacked PM Modi over the matter, saying that while the PM vows to keep Maharashtra “safe” with money and musle power, the party senior leader was “caught red-handed” with Rs 5 crore.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi too hit out at PM Modi over the row asking, “Modiji, from whose SAFE did these 5 crores come? Who looted the public’s money and sent you in the tempo?”