Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad stirred controversy on Monday by making a provocative statement about the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Shiv Sena MLA announces a reward of Rs 11 to anyone who cuts off Gandhi’s tongue in response to the Congress leader’s recent remarks during his visit to the United States.
Gaikwad said, “The kind of statement made by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has exposed the true face of Congress. During the Lok Sabha elections, they sought votes by spreading lies that the Constitution was in danger, claiming that the BJP would change it. Today, in America, he said that the reservation system established by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar would be dismantled. Such words have come from his mouth. Whoever cuts his tongue, I will give them Rs 11 lakh.”
This statement follows Gandhi’s remarks in the US, where he criticised the representation of Dalits, Adivasis, and OBC communities in India’s governance system. Gandhi claimed that the majority of key decision-making positions in the Indian bureaucracy were dominated by a small percentage of the population, leaving these marginalized communities underrepresented.
Gandhi said, “Out of 70 bureaucrats who run the government, only one is tribal, three are Dalits, and three are OBCs. Ninety per cent of India’s population has access to less than 10 per cent of the positions that determine how money is spent.”
During his speech to the Indian diaspora, Gandhi also touched on issues faced by religious minorities in India, including Sikhs, and emphasised the broader struggle for religious freedom and equality in the country.