‘Those losing ideological battle hatching conspiracy to silence Rahul Gandhi’

New Delhi: The Congress on Monday escalated its attack on the BJP-RSS over a former ABVP leader’s controversial remarks targeting Rahul Gandhi, saying those who are losing the ideological battle and whose “theft” has been exposed are hatching a “conspiracy” to silence the Leader of Opposition.

The Opposition party has flagged what it termed a “chilling and heinous” death threat to Rahul Gandhi by Printu Mahadev, a former state president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student wing of the RSS.

Speaking with reporters, Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal said, “A BJP spokesperson issued an open threat during a TV debate. I don’t know why Kerala Police is not taking action, that’s why I wrote to Amit Shah Ji. There is a clear threat from a BJP spokesperson... We think this is part of a bigger conspiracy. I have not received any response from the Home Minister yet.”

Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, “A BJP spokesperson said on TV that ‘Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest’ and no action has been taken.”

“Before this CRPF wrote a letter to (Congress chief Mallikarjun) Kharge ji on Rahul Gandhi’s safety and leaked it. So why is his security being politicised and such an environment being created,” Khera said.

This stinks of a conspiracy, he said and asked who is hatching this conspiracy.

“They are the same people who are losing the ideological battle, who do not have the weapons of ideas to defeat counter ideas. This conspiracy has to be exposed. First you tried to silence Rahul Gandhi with abuses and now you are threatening him with bullets.

“You are not able to digest the fact that people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari are getting attracted to the issues raised by Gandhi. Your theft has been caught red handed, you know it now that your time has passed,” Khera said in a video statement, referring to allegations of “vote chori” levelled by Gandhi against the BJP.

He asserted that the Congress will not allow such people to take recourse to violence.

The country is aware who is hatching the conspiracy and what it is, Khera asserted.

In his post on X, the Congress leader said, “Every time the RSS fails to defeat the ideology of India, their foot soldiers resort to physical violence. And a Godse kills Gandhi. Now, when BJP is losing the ideological battle, their spokespersons & leaders are threatening to kill Rahul Gandhi.”