Cong MP Khaleque serves legal notice on party MLA Sherman Ali

GUWAHATI: Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque has served a legal notice on Baghbar MLA Sherman Ali for allegedly making defamatory and derogatory remarks against him in a social media post.

Khaleque has demanded “an unconditional apology in the form of an affidavit sworn and attested before an Executive Magistrate” regretting for his act and withdrawing the same within seven days. In the notice, Khaleque’s counsel Syed Burhanur Rahman has also threatened to initiate “criminal and civil actions” if Ali does not tender an apology and delete the social media post immediately.

Ali has accused Khaleque of favouring a local contractor, Gunajit Nath, to secure a Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) phase III contract to construct a 7 km road between Paschim Moinburir and Tarakandi area of Barpeta district.

ALSO READ: Sonowal declares Mukhi’s ‘disturbed’ Assam a terrorism-free state

In the notice it has been stated that there could not be any question of a Congress MP influencing to secure a contract for someone under a BJP government. Both Khaleque and Ali are Congress leaders.

A day after laying foundation of the road, Ali posted on social media that a black topped road was supposed to have been constructed on the particular stretch in 2008 under PMGSY phase I. He alleged that the contractor Gunajit Nath had constructed it a GSB one in collusion with the then departmental officials that left people suffering for 12 years.

In the post, Ali said the same contractor is once again the front runner to secure the Rs 8 crore contract this time as well and alleged that Khaleque had influenced in favour of Nath. He also claimed that he had asked another reputed contractor from Bongaigaon, Rudra Pathak, who Ali claims is equipped to execute the contract better, but Nath enjoyed the blessings of Khaleque.

Ali is also seen appealing to the people of the entire area to stage protests so that Nath cannot execute the contract and construct the road.