"Part of a bigger conspiracy": K. C. Venugopal on death threat issued against Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Monday accused the BJP of inaction after a party spokesperson allegedly issued a death threat to Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during a televised debate. Venugopal termed the threat as part of a “bigger conspiracy” and said he has yet to receive a response to the letter he wrote to the Home Ministry.

KC Venugopal has written a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding action against the BJP leader for the alleged threat.

Speaking on the matter, Venugopal said on Monday, “This is an open threat. I don’t know why Kerala Police are taking no action. That is why we wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah. CRPF is giving letters to Rahul Gandhi on security lapses, and they themselves are leaking information. Here, there is a clear-cut threat from a BJP spokesperson. We are all thinking this is part of a bigger conspiracy. I have not received any response from the Home Ministry.”

He further demanded answers from the BJP, stating, “We would like to know from the BJP whether this is their official stand; otherwise, they should take action against the spokesperson. The BJP is silent on this issue.”

Earlier, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal on Sunday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding action against a BJP leader in Kerala for allegedly issuing a death threat to Rahul Gandhi during a televised debate.

In the letter to Shah, the Congress leader said that “failure” to act swiftly against “BJP spokesperson” Printu Mahadev will be judged as “complicity and normalisation of violence” against the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, and “grave breach” of oath as the Union home minister.

According to Venugopal’s letter, the BJP spokesperson in the televised debate of News18 Kerala allegedly declared that ‘Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest.’

“In a brazen act of incitement of violence, Mr Mahadev openly declared that ‘Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest.’ This is neither a slip of the tongue nor careless hyperbole. It is a cold, calculated and chilling death threat against the Leader of the Opposition and one of India’s foremost political leaders,” said Venugopal in the letter.

The letter emphasised that these threats not only endanger the opposition leader but also threaten the Constitution and the rule of law.

“That such poisonous words are uttered by an official spokesperson of the ruling party not only places the life of Shri Rahul Gandhi in immediate danger, but also undermines the Constitution, the rule of law, and the basic security assurances owed to every citizen, let alone the Leader of the Opposition,” said the Congress leader, who also posted the letter in a post on X.

Additionally, given incidents like the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) repeatedly sending letters about threats to Rahul Gandhi’s safety and one such letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Venugopal emphasised that such remarks are utterly reprehensible.

The Congress secretary also expressed that this behaviour suggests a disturbing and sinister conspiracy, which aims at justifying violence against Rahul Gandhi. (ANI)

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