Minister of state for transport Sachin Ahir on Tuesday came down heavily on BJP and its newly-appointed spokesperson Keshav Upadhye for circulating photographs of alleged Shakti Mills gangrape accused posing with Mr Ahir in a function. He also announced that he would file a defamation suit against the BJP spokesperson, alleging that it was a deliberate act to defame him.
Meanwhile, the BJP refused to apologise for the incident and said that the matter had ended for them after clarification from the minister.
The BJP spokesperson on Monday circulated a photograph to all media publications claiming that the people posing with Mr Ahir in a function were the accused in the Shakti Mills gangrape. Based on the claim, some publications published the photograph and the story was also covered by some of the news channels.
Reacting to this, Mr Ahir called an urgent press conference at the NCP headquarters on Tuesday afternoon. He also presented the people in the photograph before the media.
“The allegation made by the BJP by circulating the photograph was baseless. If the accusation was true, the boys would not have been present here. I will file a defamation suit against all the responsible people, including the BJP spokesmen and the publications,” Mr Ahir said.
He informed that it was on the occasion of Id-ul-Fitr that some people had met him and presented him with a bouquet. “It is impossible to know each and every person you meet in public life,” said Mr Ahir.
While Mr Upadhye refused to comment on the issue, chief spokesperson of the BJP, Madhav Bhandari said that after the clarification from the minister, the matter had ended for them. “As far as the legal action is concerned, further course of action will be decided after receiving a legal notice,” Mr Bhandari said.