A week after the BJP accused Congress politician Shashi Tharoor of uttering disparaging remarks against his Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha poll rival Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the three-term Member of Parliament has been charged by authorities. The case was filed on April 15 in response to a complaint from Bharatiya Janata Party leader JR Padmakumar.
Thiruvananthapuram is slated to vote on April 26, and the two leaders are locked in a tight race, with Tharoor facing the challenge of saving what is described as a Congress stronghold.
Shashi Tharoor has been accused of making false claims about Chandrasekhar influencing votes in the coastal region during the ongoing Lok Sabha election.
The Congress MP was charged with violating Sections 171-G and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, as well as Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. Section 171-G of the IPC deals with making false comments about elections, whereas Section 500 deals with defamation.
Earlier this month, Tharoor stated in an interview that he had gotten information from multiple sources, including “certain important community leaders and parish priests,” implying that the BJP was attempting to influence voters with money.
Following this, Chandrasekhar served Tharoor with a legal notice, accusing the Congress MP of making defamatory remarks about him.
“With his baseless allegation, he has also damaged the reputation of religious and community organisations in the [state] capital,” the BJP leader said in a social media post. “Rest assured, I will ensure that this slander is countered using all legal means. It’s disgraceful to see a three-time MP stooping to third-rate politics in his desperation.” The BJP then filed a complaint with the Election Commission against the Congress MP.
On April 14, the election commission handed Tharoor a “strict warning” for allegedly leveling unproven claims against Chandrasekhar.
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