A political controversy has emerged as the Samajwadi Party issues a legal notice to BJP MP Nishikant Dubey over alleged defamatory remarks linking Akhilesh Yadav to a Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.
NEW DELHI: A political row has erupted following the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) issuance of a legal notice to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey. The notice accuses Dubey of defamation for allegedly associating SP president Akhilesh Yadav with one of the accused in the Ram Temple donation embezzlement case.
The legal notice was delivered by Krishna Kanhaiya Pal, president of the Samajwadi Adhivakta Sabha. Pal claims that Dubey deliberately disseminated “defamatory, malicious and false” content against the SP chief through his verified social media account.
According to the notice, Dubey’s posts were designed to incite hatred towards both the Samajwadi Party and Akhilesh Yadav, constituting defamation and character assassination. The notice demands that Dubey issue a public apology to the SP and Yadav within two weeks.
The controversy originated from Dubey’s social media posts concerning Ramshankar, also known as Tinnu Yadav, one of eight individuals arrested in connection with the alleged embezzlement of donations collected for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Dubey questioned, “Was Tinnu talking to Tipu?”—a reference to Akhilesh Yadav’s nickname.
Dubey also reshared a post from social media user Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian, which claimed that police investigations and mobile call detail records indicated Tinnu Yadav had been in regular contact with Akhilesh Yadav. The post alleged that the two communicated almost daily, with Tinnu reportedly speaking to the SP chief three times a day prior to his arrest.
Furthermore, the post suggested that Tinnu Yadav, a tempo driver by profession, had gained the trust of Ram Temple authorities by posing as a worker for the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and was responsible for collecting and counting donations from devotees.
It also urged investigators to examine the nature and purpose of the alleged communications if the phone records were authentic. In response to these allegations, Akhilesh Yadav threatened legal action against Dubey, demanding the immediate removal of what he termed a “false” social media post.
In a post on X, Akhilesh stated, “Respecting the dignity of Lord Ram, social decorum, civility, and parliamentary traditions, we give the BJP MP 10 minutes to delete this false post. Otherwise, an FIR will be lodged against him immediately.”
Dubey, in response to the legal notice, questioned its validity and mocked the SP chief. In a post on X, he wrote in Hindi, “Akhilesh ji, lawyers like this are bringing you into disrepute. If you have been defamed, the legal notice would naturally have to come from you. That is what the law says. I was a member of the committee that drafted this law, so I am informed about it.” He further added, “What state have you got yourself into? Why don’t you take something? At the very least, take a Vicks tablet.”
Meanwhile, former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, expressed his support for Akhilesh Yadav. In a video statement, Pandey noted that the theft allegations had already been established, with the accused arrested and jailed, and trustees removed from their positions.
Pandey accused the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and the VHP of attempting to spread false propaganda by alleging connections between Akhilesh Yadav and Tinnu Yadav. He issued an open challenge, stating that if any evidence of a phone conversation between the two existed, it should be made public. Otherwise, he demanded that BJP leaders publicly apologize to the SP chief.
“Politics should be based on facts and evidence rather than false allegations,” Pandey asserted, adding that he would retire from politics if BJP leaders succeeded in substantiating their claims.
The ongoing dispute highlights the tense political atmosphere surrounding the Ram Temple donation case and the implications it may have for both parties involved.
According to The Sunday Guardian, the developments in this case are likely to escalate as both sides prepare for potential legal battles.