New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor through his lawyer on Wednesday, sent a legal notice to Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for making false and defamatory statements against him. Mr Tharoor sought an apology within 48 hours failing which, he said, he will take legal action.

Speaking at the Bengaluru Literature festival on Sunday to promote his latest book, Dr. Tharoor said he recalls an old news article where an “unnamed RSS source” had compared Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a scorpion sitting on a Shiv Linga. On Sunday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and the Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad held a press conference to criticise Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s remarks about the PM. He added, “Mr Tharoor is charge sheeted in a serious allegation of murder. I don’t want to give him more prestige by responding to his baseless allegations. But the larger issue is that while Congress president Rahul Gandhi claims himself to be a Shiv Bhakt, one of his leaders have almost abused the sanctity of Shivling or Mahadev. This is despicable, deplorable and downright vilification of the great god of Hindu faith.”

Mr Tharoor has accused Mr. Prasad of intentionally harming and destroying his reputation. He asked the minister to tender an unconditional and written apology within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice. Mr Tharoor also asked the minister to delete the clip of his press conference where he made the “false, untrue and highly defamatory statements on Twitter” remarks against him.

Dr. Tharoor further added, “When India’s Law Minister falsely invents a murder case against a political opponent, what hope for justice for democracy?”