Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 29: Congress general secretary K C Venugopal on Sunday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to take swift action against former ABVP leader Printu Mahadev for issuing what he called a “chilling and heinous” death threat to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a televised debate.

In a letter to Shah, Venugopal alleged that Mahadev, now a BJP spokesperson, declared on a Malayalam TV channel that “Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest.” He termed the remark a calculated death threat that endangers Gandhi’s life and undermines the Constitution and rule of law.

Venugopal noted that the CRPF, responsible for Gandhi’s security, has repeatedly flagged threats, and one such letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was mysteriously leaked to the media. “Any failure to act swiftly and decisively will be judged as complicity and a licence to normalise violence against the Leader of Opposition,” he warned.

The Congress leader said the threat reflects a toxic atmosphere of hate and called for immediate, exemplary legal action by state police. He also recalled the assassinations of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, stressing the grave risk to Rahul Gandhi’s life.

Congress media head Pawan Khera echoed the concern, calling the leak of the security letter “a conspiracy,” while Kerala Opposition leader V D Satheesan criticised the state government and police for inaction against Mahadev.