Virbhadra Singh threatens to file defamation suit over allegations

Shimla: Under attack from the opposition on charges of corruption and forgery, former Union Minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday threatened to file defamation suit against those indulging in his "character assassination". Lashing out BJP leader Arun Jaitley for making allegations of foregery, money laundering and income tax evasion against him, Singh said, "Jaitley should worry more about his national President who is in a sham today. Jaitley should divert his attention towards him rather than poor Virbhadra Singh."

"I reserve my right...I will take legal action. I will sue. I will file defamation suits...let them be prepared to face the consequences of false allegations. My biggest asset is my honour, my dignity," Singh said. "I cannot allow any Tom, Dick and Harry to point fingers at my character, my honesty and my integrity," he said, adding that the allegations amounted to his character assassination.

Referring to the BJP attack on him in the midst of the election campaign, the former Chief Minister said "this shows the frustration of the BJP at the national level because of its defeat.... BJP is on the backfoot due to the Congress campaign. It is going on the backfoot each passing day and due to this they are getting upset, which is obvious."

Singh said that Arun Jaitley should worry more about his national President who is in a sham today.

The Himachal PCC chief said, "Instead of raising political issues, they are casting personal allegations against me." Clarifying on the revised Income Tax return filed by him, he said he has every right to do so. "I have done nothing wrong. I can say categorically that I have my other income to be negligible. My entire income is from horticulture. Since I was in politics, earlier I was not able to manage my properly. I was unable to market my property properly. So I was suffering a loss," he said.

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