Patna,(BiharTimes): The author of “Half Girlfriend”, Chetan Bhagat, has offered to become lifelong friend of Maharaj Bahadur Kamal Singh and ‘Yuvraj’ Chandra Vijay Singh of the erstwhile princely state of Dumraon in Buxar district of Bihar after being threatened with a defamation suit for his “unflattering references”to the royal family in his latest novel.The author has extended an olive branch to them, but the family seems not to be impressed by this gesture.The author’s offer followed a legal notice sent to him on November 14, seeking an unconditional public apology from him and the publisher of his book, Rupa Publications, for the description of the royal family as ‘gamblers and alcoholics’ in the novel.

The notice, sent by Supreme Court lawyer Gaurav Ghosh, had also sought the expunging of the words “Royal Family of Dumraon” and other references to the erstwhile rulers from all copies that may be published in the future.

Bhagat, while expressing his sincere regret, has urged the royal family to consider making him “an honorary resident” of Dumraon.

“I cannot compel you to do so, but if you do, it will mean a lot to me and I will share this generous act of yours with the world,” the author stated in his ‘emotionally charged’ communication.

“I set the book in Bihar to promote Bihar, to make people more curious about the state... in some ways we have the same goal...more glory for Dumraon. We should not be adversaries, we should be friends,” Bhagat stated.

“This is not something we need to discuss in public, or in courts, please let me know and we can talk this over.”But the grandson of the Maharaja of Dumraon, Shivang Vijay Singh, was quoted in the Hindustan Times as saying: “This sounds like an offer for an out of court settlement. But the letter is frivolous and does not answer our substantive concerns pertaining to our honour and dignity.”

On December 8 the royal family had sent another legal notice describing Bhagat’s submissions as “meaningless” and reiterated the royals’ demand to initiate proceedings if Bhagat failed to address their concerns.

Dubbing this as representative of Chetan Bhagat’s ‘Janus-faced’ approach, the second legal notice called his offer of friendship as “unscrupulous” and hence rejected. It seeks compliance of demand raised through the earlier (November 14) notice.

The legal notice also calls upon Chetan Bhagat and Rupa Publications to desist from promoting Half Girlfriend, failing which the royal family would be constrained to seek damages and initiate criminal proceedings against them.