Ghulam Nabi Azad sends defamation notice to Jairam Ramesh for calling him 'slave'

Trouble has mounted for Congress leader Jairam Ramesh as Democratic Azad Party (DAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad has sent a legal notice to the former for calling him a "slave", "Mir Jafar" and a "vote-cutter". In the notice, which has been sent through Azad's legal counsel Naresh Gupta, the DAP chief seeks compensation of Rs 2 crore from Jairam Ramesh for causing damage to his "unblemished reputation".

Azad's legal counsel Naresgh Gupta alleged that the Congress Rajya Sabha MP used the name “Ghulam” in order to mean “slave”, which it translates to, deliberately and intentionally, to defame the leader in the public. He said that Jairam Ramesh through his statements committed an offence under Section 500 of IPC and is liable to pay monetary compensation.

"That you Mr Jairam Ramesh (Notice Receiver)… always remain in search of occasion to tarnish and harm the growing dignity, respect, honour conferred upon him (Azad) at the national level… By way of repeated posts in your Twitter account word ‘Ghulam’ in order to inflict injury to lower him in the estimation of others, soon after Mr Azad was honoured by Padam Bhushan Award," the notice read, PTI reported.

Azad sends defamation notice to Jairam Ramesh

Earlier in January, during Bharat Jodo Yatra's J&K leg, Ramesh said that he never thought Azad would turn out to be a “Mir Jafar” and alleged that he had been propped up by the BJP to cut the Congress’ votes in J&K.

The notice stated that the “imputation and defamatory aspersions” remarks made against Azad in press statements were based purely on malice, and have caused the DAP chief “mental agonies, torture, harassment” and tarnished his image, “which can’t be repaired". Gupta advised the Congress Leader to tender an unconditional apology through print-electronic media and on social media to Azad, or through any sort of communication, within two weeks of receiving the legal notice.

It is pertinent to mention that Azad left congress in August last year and formed his own party, naming it Democratic Progressive Azad Party.

(With inputs from PTI)