Arunachal Cong demands apology from BJP over 'death threat' to Rahul

Itanagar, Oct 1 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh unit of the Congress on Wednesday condemned the alleged death threat to Rahul Gandhi by a former ABVP leader during a recent television panel discussion, and demanded an apology from the top BJP leadership.

The former state president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an RSS-affiliated student organisation, while representing the BJP in the television debate, had allegedly remarked that Gandhi “will be shot in the chest”.

"This is not just an irresponsible remark, but a criminal act of intimidation, reflecting the BJP-RSS culture of hate and its disregard for democratic values," Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bosiram Siram said in a statement.

The party sought the “immediate arrest” of the person and a “public apology from the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah”.

"Threatening the Leader of Opposition, the voice of the people, is nothing less than an assault on democracy itself," Siram said.

The Congress also sought parliamentary and legal safeguards to ensure the dignity and security of the Leader of Opposition.

“Such open threats to Rahul Gandhi cannot be ignored or dismissed… No threat or intimidation will silence his fight for truth, justice and democracy,” the statement said. PTI CORR RBT