The Congress party on Sunday, September 28, wrote to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding strict legal action against Printu Mahadev, a former ABVP leader and BJP spokesperson, for making threatening remarks against Rahul Gandhi during a television debate.

In the letter, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal described Mahadev’s comments as a “chilling and heinous” death threat aimed at the leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha. Venugopal demanded “immediate and exemplary” action, warning that any delay or failure to act would amount to complicity and a breach of the home minister’s oath.

“In a brazen act of incitement to violence, Mahadev openly declared that ‘Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest,’” Venugopal wrote. He said such statements normalize violence against political leaders and cannot be ignored. The case arose from a debate on a Malayalam television channel, where Mahadev was a panelist. During the discussion, he referred to protests in Bangladesh and claimed that India’s political situation was different.

According to a translation of the video shared by Venugopal, Mahadev said, “In the popular protests in Bangladesh, the people were not with the government there. Here, in India, the people are with the Narendra Modi government. Therefore, if Rahul Gandhi sets out with such a desire or dream, a bullet will fall even on Rahul Gandhi's chest.”

Venugopal shared the clip on social media to highlight the threat and urged swift action. The Congress demanded that Mahadev be held accountable under law for his remarks, emphasizing that threats against a sitting opposition leader are serious and cannot be treated lightly.

The party’s letter reflects growing concerns over rising intolerance and threats against political leaders, calling on the home ministry to respond firmly and publicly to ensure the safety of elected representatives.