A young man threatens to kill Rahul at home in revenge for BJP speaker’s “insult”

A young man from Rajasthan has been arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot and kill Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in India’s Lok Sabha, over a political dispute involving the BJP Speaker Om Birla. The arrest was made on Thursday in Kota district, Rajasthan, where the accused resides.

The arrested individual, identified as Raj Singh, reportedly issued the threat in a video that went viral on social media. In the footage, Singh claimed he would enter Rahul Gandhi’s residence and kill him if neither Gandhi nor certain opposition MPs apologised to Speaker Om Birla for their alleged disrespect during the recent Budget session of Parliament.

Context of the Threat

The incident is linked to tensions in the Lok Sabha during discussions on a motion of thanks for the President’s address. Opposition members, led by the Congress party, had raised objections against Speaker Om Birla, who represents Kota in Rajasthan. The disputes escalated when Rahul Gandhi attempted to quote passages from a book by former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The book recounted the 2020 China–India conflict in Ladakh and criticised the government’s handling of the situation. Government MPs, including the Speaker, allegedly prevented Gandhi from quoting the excerpts, leading to heightened tensions in Parliament.

Following these events, a motion of no-confidence was filed against Om Birla, and BJP members demanded Rahul Gandhi’s expulsion from the House. During this period, Raj Singh posted his threatening video on social media, claiming he was acting on the orders of Rahul Gandhi’s perceived opponents and identifying himself as a spokesperson for “Karni Sena,” a regional Rajput advocacy group.

Arrest and Investigation

Kota Police, acting on a complaint from local Congress leaders, arrested Raj Singh and confirmed that he was being interrogated. Police officials clarified that the Karni Sena had denied any association with him. Similarly, local BJP leaders stated that Raj Singh had no links to the party.

Raj Singh’s video featured him wearing a saffron scarf, seated before portraits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Speaker Om Birla, further amplifying public attention and sparking widespread reactions on social media. Neither BJP nor Karni Sena has officially commented on the video.

Key Facts

Reactions

Senior Congress leader K. Venugopal condemned the threat, stating that self-styled “Modi loyalists” are spreading hate and issuing public threats against political opponents. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera added that such incidents are the predictable outcome of a climate of fear, hatred, and vendetta propagated by the ruling party both inside and outside Parliament.

This episode highlights the increasing politicisation and polarisation of public discourse in India, raising serious concerns about the safety of elected leaders and the limits of social media influence in spreading threats.