Madhya Pradesh: 'Confused' Rahul accepts 'mistake' after his remark angers CM Shivraj

Angered over Rahul Gandhi's "frivolous and mala fide" remarks against his family members, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh has threatened to file a defamation complaint against the Congress president.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Photo: PTI

INDORE: After Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan threatened to take legal action against him, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accepted his "mistake" for dragging the name of Chouhan's son into the Panama Papers leak case. While talking to the media here, Gandhi, who is on a two-day tour of the poll-bound state, said as there were "several scams" taking place, he got "confused". Angered over Rahul Gandhi's "frivolous and mala fide" remarks against his family members, Chouhan on Monday threatened to file a defamation complaint against the Congress president. Chouhan said Gandhi was levelling "false" allegations against him and his family members during his rallies. "You have been making patently false allegations of Vyapam to Panama Papers against me and my family. Tomorrow, I am filing a criminal defamation suit for maximum damages against you for frivolous and malafide statements," the chief minister said. Let the law take its own course now, Chouhan tweeted. He said Gandhi has crossed all limits by dragging his son Kartikey Chauhan's name in Panama Papers leak case. Later, Kartikey also hit out at Gandhi and demanded an apology from the Congress chief within 48 hours, failing which he threatened to take stringent legal action against him. While addressing a public meeting Madhya Pradesh's Jhabua on Monday, Gandhi targeted Shivraj Singh Chouhan, alleging that "rampant corruption" had taken place in the state during his rule. He also claimed that the name of Chaouhan's son had figured in the Panama Papers but no action was taken against him. "Udhar Chowkidar, Idhar Mamaji. Mamaji ke jo bte hai, Panama Papers me unka naam nikalta hai. (On one side, you have the watchman (apparently referring to Modi), on the other side you have 'mamaji'. The name of the son of 'mamaji' figured in Panama Papers)," Gandhi said. "Nawaz Sharif Pakistan ke Prime Minister ka naam nikalta hai..Pakistan jaise desh me unko jail me daal dete hai. Magar Yahan ke chief minister ka beta, uska naam Panama Papers me nikalta hai to koi karyawai nahi hoti (The name of former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif appears in Panama Papers. In a country like Pakistan, he is jailed. Here, the name of the son of a CM figures in Panama Papers but no action is taken)," Gandhi added. Gandhi is on two-days tour in the BJP-dominated Malwa-Nimar region for campaigning for upcoming elections. Voting to elect new Assembly in Madhya Pradesh will be held on November 28 and counting will take place on December 11.