“BJP Issues Defamation Notice to Atishi Over Allegations of Coercion and Threats”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken legal action against Delhi Minister Atishi following her claims that she was coerced by the party to defect or face imminent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Parveen Shankar Kapoor, a spokesperson for the Delhi BJP, served Atishi with a defamation notice and demanded a public apology from her for her allegations.

Atishi had earlier stated to the media that she was approached by individuals closely associated with the BJP, who purportedly urged her to join the party as a means to salvage her political career.

She alleged that failure to comply with their demands would result in her arrest by the ED within a month. Additionally, she claimed that several other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak, were also targeted by the BJP with similar threats of coercion and potential legal action.

Accusing the BJP of orchestrating a plan to target AAP leaders, Atishi asserted that raids by the ED would be conducted at her residence and the homes of her relatives prior to her arrest.

She further alleged that the BJP intended to arrest four more AAP leaders, including herself, over the course of the next two months.

In response to these accusations, the BJP categorically denied the claims made by Atishi, dismissing them as baseless and devoid of truth. Virendra Sachdeva, the Delhi BJP chief, refuted Atishi’s assertions and labeled them as falsehoods.

He insinuated that the AAP was grappling with internal strife following the arrest of its top leaders in connection with the liquor policy case.

Sachdeva went on to claim that the entire AAP leadership was implicated in what he referred to as the ‘liquor scam’, suggesting that internal discord within the party stemmed from apprehensions about who would be the next to face legal repercussions.