Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said the death threats issued by his colleague Printu Mahadevan to Rahul Gandhi stemmed from a personal enmity, distancing the party from the controversial remarks.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Chandrasekhar said the BJP had been pushing its development agenda in Kerala and Mahadevan’s comment did not dovetail with the party’s stand.
Mahadevan, a former ABVP state president, surrendered before Peramangalam Police in Thrissur late on Tuesday and was granted bail by the Kunnamkulam judicial magistrate.
Asked about Mahadevan’s claim that he did not get adequate support from the BJP following the controversy, Chandrasekhar said he had no idea about it.
“The BJP state spokesperson came out with the remark in a fit of rage, which the party doesn’t endorse. This has been communicated to him. I hope he has understood his mistake,” Chandrasekhar said without naming Mahadevan.
“Ours is a battle of ideology, of development. We put forward the politics of performance. We do not intend to carry out politics of personal enmity against anyone,” he contended.
Interacting with reporters on his way to the police station, Mahadevan said he did not endorse violence.
“I suspect a conspiracy behind this controversy. The police led a manhunt at my home, scaring my elderly parents, wife and kid. I’m against violence and have never harmed anyone. My words were distorted by the anchor and the television channel. I’ve decided to file a case against them,” he said.
Several BJP workers accompanied him to the police station.
Mahadevan had allegedly made the remarks against Rahul during a television debate on September 26 on protests in Bangladesh and Nepal.
He reportedly said such protests were not possible in India as people here supported Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that if Rahul had similar aspirations, “bullets will pierce his chest”.
The police had registered a case against Mahadevan for instigating a riot and creating division in society, following a complaint from KPCC secretary Sreekumar C.C.
Gokul Guruvayur, Thrissur district president of Kerala Students Union (KSU) — the student wing of the Congress — had also urged the police to take action against Mahadevan.
The Congress criticised the state government for not “immediately” arresting Mahadevan and claimed there was an “unholy alliance” between the ruling CPM and
the BJP.