Pune: Manish Tewari's public expression of
regret for his outburst against Anna Hazare has failed to cut
much ice with the anti-corruption crusader, who on Thursday sent a
legal notice to the Congress spokesman seeking a written
apology for calling him corrupt from "head to toe".
Hazare's lawyer Milind Pawar sent the notice by email and
registered post to Tewari on the instructions of the Gandhian.
Pawar had earlier said a defamation case would be filed
against the Congress MP in a Pune court for casting aspersions
on Hazare.
The notice calls upon Tewari to "apologise with written
application by you and on behalf of your party, undertaking
not to commit such false imputations and defamatory statements
(about Hazare) in future".
It says the Congress leader had committed offence under
sections 499 and 500 of IPC by his defamatory references to
Hazare.
The Gandhian was targeted by Congress for the first time
after Tewari cited the Sawant Commission Report and accused
him of being "steeped in corruption from head to toe".
"The Sawant Commission ripped apart the moral core of
Hazare as it found him steeped in corruption from head to
toe," Tewari had said.
Facing public criticism for attacking Hazare, the Congress
leader, who disappeared from TV screens for several days in
the wake of the comments, resurfaced and expressed his regret.
"I know some of my recent utterances have caused hurt to
Mr Anna Hazare. I regret the same and I would like to appeal to him
as a citizen of this country to end his fast," he said, adding
"In the course of political cut and thrust, certain things are
inadvertently said which cause pain."
Pawar said Congress spokesman has also been asked to
clarify as to whether what he had said was his personal view
or that of his party.
He said legal action will be initiated in "civil and
criminal court" if Tewari failed to tender a written apology
as demanded through the notice.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, September 08, 2011, 17:59