FIR registered against Shiv Sena MLA who announced ₹11 lakh reward to ‘chop Rahul Gandhi’s tongue’

An FIR has been registered against Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad after he announced a reward of ₹11 lakh reward to ‘chop Rahul Gandhi's tongue’ over his statements on reservation during his recent trip to the United States.

The Buldana City Police has registered FIR against the Shiv Sena MLA under section 351(2), 351(4), 192 and 351(3) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena MLA from Buldhana Sanjay Gaikwad, made objectionable remarks about Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

He had said, as quoted by news agency ANI, “The kind of statement given by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has revealed the real face of Congress. In the Lok Sabha elections, they took votes by spreading lies that the Constitution is in danger, BJP will change the Constitution and today in America he said that the reservation given by Baba Saheb Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, he said they will end the reservation. Such words have come out of his mouth... Whoever cuts his tongue, I will give him ₹11 lakh...”

How did Congress react?

Following Gaikwad's statement, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate held a press conference and lambasted the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction MLA and BJP for hitting out at Rahul Gandhi.

She said, as quoted by India Today, "Who is Rahul Gandhi, he is a five-term elected MP, he is the leader of Opposition in India's democracy. How can such statements replete with violence be tolerated?"

"Why must I not say that if the members of the BJP and their alliance partners are resorting to these violent statements, this is happening at the behest of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, this has your complete political patronage," Shrinate said.

How Shiv Sena (UBT) reacted?

Reacting on the whole scenario, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday slammed Gaikwad over his statement on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi.

Aaditya even alleged that it looks like there is no Home Minister in the state.

"He has made several such statements but its look like there is no home minister in the state ...we have seen in Badlapur incident also where a women journalist who was covering the incident was inappropriately commented by one of their leader but instead of taking action against him the FIR was register against the women journalist... similarly there are lot of such incidents that happened in Maharashtra but it looks like there is no home minister in the state," ANI quoted Aaditya as saying.

What BJP said?

With Shiv Sena MLA from Buldhana Sanjay Gaikwad announcing bounty to 'chop off Rahul Gandhi's tongue', Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule said, as India Today quoted, "I will not support or endorse Gaikwad's comments. However, we cannot forget that the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had opposed reservations saying it would affect progress."

With agency inputs.