BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Anil Bonde has said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s tongue should be burnt as what he said about reservation was “dangerous”.
His remark made on Tuesday invited criticism from the opposition parties. It comes in the wake of Shiv Sena’s Buldhana MLA Sanjay Gaikwad kicking up a row by announcing a Rs 11 lakh reward to anyone chopping off Rahul Gandhi’s tongue for his remarks on scrapping the reservation system.
During his recent visit to the USA, Mr Gandhi told students at the Georgetown University that the Congress would think of scrapping reservation when “India is a fair place”, which he said is not the case right now.
Reacting to Mr Gaikwad’s statement of chopping off Mr Gandhi’s tongue, the BJP leader said at Amravati in Maharashtra on Tuesday, “The language of chopping off tongue is not proper, but what Rahul ji said against reservation is dangerous.”
“Hence, if anyone speaks anything absurd in a foreign country, then rather than chopping off his tongue, it should be singed. It is necessary to certainly singe the tongues of such people – be it Rahul Gandhi, Dnyanesh Maharao or Shyam Manav and people who hurt the feelings of the ‘bahujan’ and majority,” he said.
Mr Maharao, an author, is accused of making derogatory comments on Hindu deities recently, while Manav is an anti-superstition crusader.
A video of Mr Bonde’s remarks went viral on social media, inviting criticism from the opposition parties. The MP also did not find support from his own party – BJP.
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said he does not support the statements made by Bonde and Gaikwad against Rahul Gandhi, but said the Congress leader should also refrain from giving “anti-India statements” and asked him to clarify his stand on the issue of reservation.
Speaking about these remarks, he said, “I do not support the statements made by Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad and BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Anil Bonde. They should refrain from making such statements again.” Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut condemned the remarks made by BJP-Shiv Sena lawmakers against Gandhi. He alleged that there was a conspiracy against Gandhi and threat to his life.
He also questioned the “silence” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the comments made by Mr Bonde and Mr Gaikwad. He also alleged conspiracy against Gandhi and threat to his life.
Mr Gaikwad kicked up a row by announcing a Rs 11 lakh reward to anyone chopping off Rahul Gandhi’s tongue for his remarks on scrapping the reservation system, while Bonde said the Congress leader’s tongue should be singed.
Meanwhile, several Congress leaders and workers staged a sit-in protest outside the Amravati police commissionerate demanding action against Bonde.
Amravati MP Balwant Wankhade, Amravati MLA Yashomati Thakur and former minister Sunil Deshmukh along with Congress workers took part in the protest. They demanded that a case be registered against Bonde for his remarks.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
