MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday (April 12) lashed out at Congress MP Shashi Tharoor for false claims of cash-for-votes and for admitting that he has no proof of it.
Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister of State for Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday (April 12) slammed Congress MP Shashi Tharoor after the latter admitted that he has no evidence of illegal activities such as voter bribery.
Taking to social media, Chandrasekhar wrote, "Exasperating farrago of distortions, misrepresentations and outright lies being broadcast by an unprincipled showman masquerading as a POLITICIAN. Shameless!"
However, while speaking exclusively to Asianet News, Tharoor said, " I have never said that the BJP candidate has done this. I have never raised an allegation or claimed that I have any proof of this. But people are saying this. This has become the 'talk of the town'. Yes, I have spoken to parish priests and they have told me about it. These are things that are happening in our land. So what I have heard is a true thing. How can I remain silent on such things? However, in that same interview, I said that I don't have any proof."
Tharoor in a TV channel reportedly had claimed that Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the NDA candidate in Thiruvananthapuram was involved in offering money to voters. Subsequently, the Union Minister sent a legal notice to the Congress MP alleging that the latter made defamatory statements against him. He accused Tharoor of spreading "patently false information." Specifically, Chandrasekhar alleges that Tharoor falsely claimed that the BJP leader engaged in bribery of key voters and influential figures, including parish priests.
The legal notice asserts that Tharoor's statements were made to damage Chandrasekhar's reputation and image. Furthermore, it contends that Tharoor's remarks disrespected the entire Christian community of Thiruvananthapuram and its leaders by alleging their involvement in cash-for-votes activities.