‘Mard ki aulaad maanunga…’: Why BJP MP Nishikant Dubey filed defamation case against ex-Finance Secretary Subhash Garg

Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) Nishikant Dubey said on Monday that he filed a defamation case against former finance secretary Subhash Garg. Dubey lambasted Garg for claiming that Dubey visited his office in 2018.

"I have decided to correct this bad behaviour of Subhash Garg, former Finance Secretary. I have filed a case of criminal defamation against him because he has mentioned about meeting me in his office," Dubey said in a post on X.

He added, "Subhash, for your information, since I became an MP in 2009, I have not visited the office of the Government of India, because in the protocol of the Government of India, the Secretary is below the MP."

Dubey challenged Subhash Garg, saying, “...from 2009 till date, have I ever written any letter regarding transfer posting? Not only you, but if any of your friends also give me information regarding any of my letters or any office meeting, then I will consider you a man's son.”

“For the man who ruined the country's economy, Subash, the only way is jail,” he added.

Nishikant Dubey vs Subhash Garg over a letter

The legal action by Nishikant Dubey follows a public feud sparked by Subhash Garg, who earlier questioned the official Q1 GDP growth data.

In response to Garg's critiques, Dubey revived an old conflict by sharing a letter he had originally sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2018.

At the time, Garg was serving as the Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs — a post he held before being elevated to Finance Secretary in March 2019.

In the 2018 letter, Dubey had urged PM Modi to review Garg’s macroeconomic framework. He also took to X to recall his criticism of Garg.

"I had written back in 2018 itself that the former Finance Secretary is ignorant. A person does not become wise from the pinnacle of foolishness," Dubey said in a post in Hindi.

Later, on a podcast, Garg said the letter was dated March 2018 and that the transfer occurred in 2019. He accused Dubey of “blackmailing.”

Garg alleged Dubey “came to him once in the office” to tell me to ask LIC chairman to do his work. “So, I asked him, ‘Why are you telling me this? LIC is not under my control’.”

Garg claimed that the “work” Dubey was asking him to do concerned transfers and contracts. He said he refused to do his work. “No one takes his warnings seriously,” he added later.

It was this comment by Garg that prompted Dubey to file a defamation case against him.

Dubey rejects Garg’s claim

Dubey rejected any suggestion that he had visited Garg's office during his tenure in government.

Later, speaking with news agency ANI, Nishikant Dubey called Garg the “despicable” man.

Dubey challenged Garg to say whether he had ever visited the office of any secretary in Delhi or Ranchi. “I won't be able to recognise DC or SP of my district. I have not even seen the faces of DC or SP. It would be great if they come and meet me.”

Dubey said the time that Garg is claiming was when he was the chairman of Direct and Indirect Taxes in the Public Accounts Committee. “The chairman has the right to summon any secretary,” he said.

“I want to expose his lies,” Dubey told reporters. “I have filed a criminal defamation suit. He has to publicly apologise to me. If he doesn’t, he’ll go to jail,” he added.

About the Author

Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in

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