A significant controversy has erupted following an alleged death threat against Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, during a live television debate. The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) Legal Cell president and other Congress leaders have strongly condemned the remarks, calling for strict legal action against the individual responsible.
The alleged threat was made by Printu Mahadev, a former leader of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and purportedly a BJP spokesperson, during a televised debate on a Malayalam channel. Mahadev allegedly stated that "Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest".
K.C. Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, has written to Home Minister Amit Shah, describing the statement as a "chilling and heinous" death threat. He argued that such a statement is not a mere slip of the tongue but a "cold, calculated and chilling death threat" against a prominent political leader. Venugopal stressed the severity of the threat, asserting it endangers Rahul Gandhi's life and undermines the Constitution, rule of law, and basic security assurances owed to every citizen, especially the Leader of the Opposition. He warned that failure to act swiftly would be seen as complicity and normalization of violence.
The Congress party has collectively voiced its outrage, with the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) President, Devender Yadav, demanding the immediate registration of an FIR against Mahadev and calling for his punishment. The party has questioned whether the BJP endorses such intimidation and violence, further asking if this was part of a larger conspiracy against Rahul Gandhi. They are demanding immediate action against Mahadev by the state police, a condemnation of the threat, and a public apology from the BJP leadership. The party has stated that a failure to do so would imply the complicity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Pawan Khera, Chairman of the Media and Publicity Department of the Congress, has also launched a strong attack on the BJP, suggesting a conspiracy to silence Rahul Gandhi's voice. He referenced the assassinations of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, emphasizing the history of violence against the Gandhi family when their ideology is perceived as a threat.
The Congress party has linked the alleged death threat to Rahul Gandhi's continued criticism of the BJP-RSS ideology, asserting that these threats and acts of violence will not deter him from standing up for the people of India and defending the Constitution. They also pointed out that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), responsible for Rahul Gandhi's security, has previously raised concerns about threats to his safety, and that a letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge regarding these threats was leaked to the media under suspicious circumstances.
