BJP Sends ₹100-Cr Defamation Notice to Omar Over MLA Poaching Claims

According to the legal notice, issued by Advocate Parimoksh Seth on behalf of BJP J&K President and Rajya Sabha MP Sat Paul Sharma, the Chief Minister must withdraw his statements in writing and issue an unconditional public apology within seven days. The party asserts that Abdullah’s remarks, made while speaking at a commemorative rally beside the tomb of his grandmother, Begum Akbar Jehan, on her 26th death anniversary at Naseem Bagh over the weekend, have severely damaged its reputation, dignity and public standing. The BJP argues that the allegations, widely circulated across print, electronic and social media, have harmed the image of what it describes as the “largest political party in the world,” with over 14 crore registered members.

The controversy began when Abdullah alleged that a Jammu-based NC MLA had informed him of an approach by a Supreme Court lawyer “close to the BJP,” who allegedly offered between ₹20 crore and ₹30 crore, a ministerial berth and even the promise of restoring statehood in exchange for switching allegiance. Abdullah further claimed that another BJP office-bearer had similarly attempted to persuade NC legislators from the Jammu region with financial and political incentives. He framed these alleged attempts as efforts to destabilise the elected government and undermine the people's mandate.

The BJP has categorically rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated and entirely devoid of evidence. Sharma publicly demanded that Abdullah either reveal the identity of the BJP leader allegedly involved or apologise for making unsubstantiated claims. BJP MLA R.S. Pathania echoed this stance, arguing that accusations of bribery against elected representatives are extremely serious and must be backed by credible evidence. He questioned why no formal complaint or FIR had been filed if any MLA had indeed been approached and urged the Chief Minister to present evidence before the J&K Police, the Anti-Corruption Bureau or any competent authority.

Pathania also accused Abdullah of attempting to divert attention from governance issues and internal criticism within the ruling alliance. He claimed that during a recent meeting in Dachigam, Srinagar, several ruling party legislators themselves raised concerns about corruption within the government. He insisted that the BJP would vigorously defend its reputation and pursue all legal remedies, including civil and criminal defamation proceedings, if Abdullah fails to substantiate his claims or issue a public apology.

The legal notice calls upon Abdullah to immediately cease and desist from making or repeating any defamatory statements against the BJP and warns that failure to comply will compel the party to initiate civil and criminal action, including a ₹100-crore defamation suit. It emphasises that the notice has been issued without prejudice to other legal rights and remedies available to the party.

The confrontation marks a sharp escalation in political tensions in J&K, with both sides holding firmly to their positions. As the seven-day deadline nears, the Union Territory's political landscape is poised for further developments.

Significantly, this standoff comes at a time when the NC is preparing intensively for a major rally at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on July 20, coinciding with the opening of Parliament's Monsoon Session. The event is expected to be the party's most substantial mobilisation yet in support of restoring J&K's statehood. Through its nationwide outreach campaign, the NC is working to assemble a broad coalition of regional parties, national leaders, civil society groups, trade organisations and religious representatives from across the country.

The NC asserts that the demonstration is aimed at increasing pressure on the Union Government to honour its commitments and reinstate J&K's statehood. The NC has also extended an invitation to the BJP to join the rally, framing the event as a collective platform for all political stakeholders to voice their position on the statehood issue. The BJP, however, rejected the invitation outright, dismissing the initiative as politically motivated and accusing the NC of attempting to revive narratives it believes the region has already moved beyond.

The NC's decision to invite Kashmir's chief Muslim cleric, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq, to the July 20 rally has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, which has accused the party of lending legitimacy to elements associated with separatist politics. The invitation has become a focal point in the escalating political confrontation, adding a new layer of contention to an already charged atmosphere.

Chief Minister Abdullah on Sunday strongly defended the move, asserting that the NC's outreach to Mirwaiz Umar was both deliberate and justified. He alleged that the BJP was manufacturing controversy to distract from the core purpose of the agitation—the restoration of J&K's statehood. According to Abdullah, the rally is not meant to serve as a battleground for partisan confrontation but as a broad democratic mobilisation seeking the fulfilment of repeated assurances regarding the reinstatement of statehood.

The Chief Minister, who is also the vice-president of the NC, emphasised that his party has undertaken an extensive outreach campaign, inviting political parties, religious leaders, civil society groups, trade bodies and other stakeholders in an effort to build the widest possible consensus around the demand. He argued that the inclusion of Mirwaiz Umar should not be viewed through a narrow political lens, describing him as a prominent religious figure who represents a significant section of J&K's population. The invitation, he said, reflects an inclusive strategy aimed at uniting diverse segments of society behind a shared constitutional and democratic objective.

Reiterating that the restoration of statehood transcends political affiliations and ideological divides, Abdullah maintained that the issue concerns every resident of J&K. In his view, the movement's strength lies in its ability to bring together voices from across the social and political spectrum, signalling a collective push for a long-promised constitutional commitment.