The senior BJP leader posted on X, “Santanu Sinha’s slanderous Facebook post on June 7, 2024, has created a spectre of a compromised political system, that thrives on objectifying women. It views working relationships, across genders, in public life, to binaries, which is demeaning, particularly towards women.”

Lashing out at the Trinamool Congress as well as the Congress parties, Malviya, further wrote, “It is therefore not surprising that the Trinamool Congress and the Indian National Congress, who should have otherwise spoken for dignity of women, chose to disseminate and propagate the falsehood.”

Malviya mentioned in his post that he sent a legal notice to Sinha, but the “purported apology is deeply problematic”.

“On 8th June, my advocates served a legal notice on Santanu Sinha, demanding an unqualified conditional apology. Sinha’s subsequent retraction of June 11, 2024, is qualified and not unequivocal. It also fails to meet the demand, as laid out in the legal notice. His purported apology is deeply problematic and reductionist,” he said.

Stating that the “alleged post was defamatory, calculated and malicious,” Malviya added, “The wide dissemination by opposition parties has added to the defamation. AS such, I have decided to pursue criminal defamation against Santanu Sinha, under appropriate sections of the IPC. Other civil remedies may also follow, as would be advised.”

On June 8, BJP leader Malviya had sent a legal notice to Sinha, asking him to take down the “false and derogatory” post on Facebook and on Monday, he served a legal notice to the Hindu Samhati leader for “making false and defamatory allegations”.

Meanwhile, Sinha on Tuesday said his statements were “misinterpreted” and expressed “heartfelt sorrow” if it hurt the BJP leader.  Speaking to The Indian Express Sinha said that he will respond to the legal notice on June 16 after completing his current engagements including some social tasks.