Shiv Sena MLA offers

Mumbai: The Congress has taken strong objection to Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad’s remarks about giving ₹11 lakh as reward to anyone who “chops off” the tongue of leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Gaikwad had made the remark on Monday while slamming Gandhi over his statements on caste-based reservation, delivered during his trip to the United States.
“We want the chief minister and the home department to take the matter seriously and book him. He should be arrested immediately,” said leader of opposition in the state assembly Vijay Wadettiwar. State Congress president Nana Patole wondered if Gaikwad actually knew what Gandhi had said in the US. “Rahul Gandhi said nothing about scrapping reservation and the BJP is twisting his remarks,” said Patole.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Gaikwad, the Buldhana MLA, said, “Babasaheb Ambedkar had provided reservation to backward classes, tribals, OBCs and others to uplift them. The Congress spread a rumour that the BJP was going to amend the Constitution and sought votes on this basis. Now, its real face has come out because of Rahul Gandhi, who wants to put an end to reservation for backward classes.” He went on to say that he would pay ₹11 lakh to anyone who “chops off” Gandhi’s tongue.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Nana Patole responded to Gaikwad’s remarks with a stern warning, saying the state government must take serious note of the statement by the criminal-minded MLA, and file a case against him. “Gaikwad should be reined in. Or else, Congress workers know how to deal with such goons,” said Patole.
The Congress leader alleged that the BJP and its allies were unnerved due to Gandhi’s rising popularity, and they were running a smear campaign against him out of frustration and desperation.
“Rahul Gandhi never said that reservations should be withdrawn. On the contrary, he said that the 50% limit on reservation must be removed to address pending issues of various communities. But the BJP and their agents are continuously spreading rumours and trying to create a fake narrative,” Patole said.
He further said that Gandhi was not afraid of Modi and Shah, so he would not be intimidated by threats from local criminals like Gaikwad. “Millions of Congress workers across Maharashtra and the entire country are ready to stand as a shield to protect him. Don’t even think about trying to harm him in any way, no one can even touch his hair,” warned the state Congress president.
Congress leaders in Buldhana held a sit-in protest inside the city police station for over four hours, urging the police to book Gaikwad for his offensive statement. Later in the evening, the Buldhana city police station registered an FIR against Gaikwad under sections 351(2), 351(4), 192 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
“Sanjay Gaikwad has been booked for hate speech and criminal intimidation based on a complaint by one Rahul Bondre,” said Buldhana city police station inspector Narendra Thakare.
Gaikwad did not respond to calls from this newspaper.