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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its leaders' controversial remarks about Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi.
Addressing a press conference, Siddaramaiah said the BJP is unable to accept Rahul Gandhi's growing popularity. "Rahul Gandhi is not concerned about such false allegations and threats. The BJP is struggling to accept his popularity. He comes from a patriotic family--his grandmother, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated, and his father also died in a bomb blast," he stated. He highlighted that a BJP leader had issued a threat, suggesting that Rahul could face the same fate as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. "Minister of State Ravneet Bittu referred to Rahul Gandhi as a terrorist. This is essentially inciting BJP workers. On the 16th of this month, BJP ally and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad offered Rs 11 lakh to anyone who cuts off Rahul Gandhi's tongue. This is also a direct threat to his life," CM Siddaramaiah added. He further asserted that these are explicit threats to Rahul Gandhi. "It's a direct attempt to undermine Rahul Gandhi's popularity. This is no small matter. We, the Karnataka Congress and the government, will take this seriously. These comments indirectly encourage others to make similar statements against Rahul Gandhi," he said. The Karnataka CM stressed that strict action should be taken against these leaders. "I demand that criminal cases be filed, and action taken against such leaders. If anyone thinks they can politically destroy Rahul Gandhi, they are mistaken. The Congress party will not tolerate such remarks," he added. This follows Sanjay Gaikwad, an MLA from Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, publicly offering a bounty of Rs 11 lakh on September 16 for anyone who would "cut the tongue" of Rahul Gandhi. Minister of State for Railways, Ravneet Singh Bittu, had previously called Rahul Gandhi the "number one terrorist of the country" during a public statement on September 15. Earlier today, Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Maken filed a complaint at a police station in the national capital against BJP leaders over the threats to Rahul Gandhi. (ANI)
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