Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru(DC)

Bengaluru, May 7: Chief minister Siddaramaiah has decided to wage a legal war against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by filing a defamation case of Rs 100 crore over the '10% commission' remark if he does not apologise.

It may be recalled, PM Modi had called the Karnataka state government, a ‘10% commission government’ at a recent rally. “I received many calls from people after I said at a rally in Bengaluru recently that a 10% commission government was ruling the state. They said the commission was more than 10%. You decide if you want a commission or a mission government,” Modi had said addressing a public meeting in Mysuru.

The statement evoked sharp reply from Siddaramaiah. “Calling our government a 10% one is an irresponsible remark. He has not spoken like a prime minister. He has lied and made baseless remarks,” Siddaramaiah said. “Did he ask Yeddyurappa what happened during his stint (as CM from 2008-11)? The BJP looted the state. Yeddyurappa went to jail, just like (mining scam chief accused) Janardhan Reddy," he said.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has now sent a legal notice to Bharatiya Janata Party, PM Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and B S Yeddyurappa for ‘intentionally and maliciously’ making ‘false and defamatory statements against him’, asking them to apologise or face a Rs 100-crore defamation case.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sent legal notice to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP CM candidate B S Yeddyurappa for criminal and civil defamation over PM Modi’s ‘Sidda rupaiya government’ jibe. The notice further pulls up PM Modi for his ‘10% government remark’ in which PM Modi had said that Siddaramaiah government takes ‘10% commission’ to get a job done in the state. Against this, the notice observes, ‘Mr Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, have unabatedly made several defamatory and untrue statements in your speeches in Karnataka during the election campaign’. Apart from the ‘10% government’ remark, Siddaramaiah has also referred to PM Modi’s ‘ease of doing murders’ allegations against the Karnataka government.

Siddaramaiah has further sought a public apology from BJP and its leaders. "You are called upon to cease and desist from making such statements forthwith and give an unconditional public apology immediately through electronic, print and social media etc in which the statements and advertisements have appeared”.

The legal notice further states that in case PM Modi and the others fail to apologize, it would require them to pay an amount of Rs 100 crore for damages.