BJP sends defamation notice to Atishi over poaching claim, Delhi minister hits back

The BJP's Delhi unit has sent a defamation notice to AAP leader Atishi and demanded a public apology for her claim that the saffron party approached her through a ''very close'' person to join it.

Reacting to the development, Atishi said the BJP should fight with the AAP in elections rather than attacking AAP leaders through such means.

On Tuesday, the Delhi minister claimed that she and three other AAP leaders -- Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak -- would be arrested soon and said that she was advised to join the BJP or be ready to be arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in a month.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said a defamation notice has been sent to Atishi, demanding a public apology for her claim.

''Atishi failed to provide evidence of who approached her, how and when. The AAP is undergoing a crisis in Delhi, which is why they are making such baseless allegations out of frustration. But we will not let her get away with this,'' he said.

Sachdeva asked Atishi to submit her phone to an investigation agency to prove her claim.

A Delhi BJP's lawyer said the party has sent a defamation notice to Atishi to withdraw her statement which he termed ''false, defamatory, and concocted'' and claimed was made with a ''mala fide intent''.

''You are requested to immediately withdraw the said speech and telecast your apology prominently on television and social media failing which my client shall be constrained to initiate, both criminal and civil, proceedings against you, at your own risk and cost,'' the defamation notice issued on April 2 read.

In a press conference, when Atishi was asked about the legal notice, she said, ''We have been saying that BJP has only one aim -- send AAP leaders one by one to jail. They have only strengthened what we have been saying. Through its various agencies, BJP is attacking AAP. If you really want to fight us, they should face off with us in the electoral battle.''

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)