BJP to file defamation suit against Manpreet Badal
AMRITSAR The BJP state president, Vijay Sampla, during a press conference,here, on Thursday, said that the party will file a defamation case against Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal for accusing Swaran Singh Salaria, the BJP-SAD candidate for the October 11 Gurdaspur bypoll, of concealing a case registered against him.
Manpreet on Wednesday had sought disqualification of Salaria, accusing him of concealing facts about a rape case registered against him in 2014 in his nomination papers.
Sampla said that the Congress minister presented false facts among the media.
“Congress is playing dirty politics. False allegations have been levelled against Salaria and we will file a defamation case against Badal,” Sampla said.
The BJP state president added that Congress is left with no other agenda and is resorting to shameful tactics.
“We are contesting elections on the agenda of development and are not getting personal. Congress is just fooling voters,” Sampla said.
Manpreet Singh Badal had alleged that Salaria falsified in his nomination papers that no criminal case was pending against him.
Salaria was booked for rape in Mumbai on the complaint of a former air hostess working for his airlines.
Badal said that Salaria had filed for quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered against him under Sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Manpreet added, “The hearing in the case is on October 30 and the case is pending.”
Salaria said, the Congress is anticipating defeat and thus resorting to cheap politics.
He denied concealing any facts.
He also took a dig at the central government over taxation and said it had failed to implement the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in the ‘right manner’.