A member of the right-wing radical group Karni Sena allegedly threatened to kill Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition, and 25 MPs from his party in a video message, accusing them of misbehaving with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla during the Budget session.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the threat to Rahul and 25 other MPs was not an isolated outburst.
“It is the part of a calculated and devious plan,” Khera wrote on his X. “First, Kiren Rijiju publicly lied and misled the nation that Congress MPs abused Om Birla in the Lok Sabha – a claim contradicted by available video footage, which shows no such abuse. In fact, the Speaker is seen smiling during the exchange.”
Videograb
Khera said soon after Rijiju’s statement on social media, several BJP MPs issued statements saying Rahul Gandhi poses “the biggest threat to India’s national security.”
The Karni Sena member claimed in the video that BJP members and his organisation were fuming over the incident and accused the MPs of misbehaving with the Speaker on the instructions of Rahul.
“This was done on the instructions of Rahul Gandhi. Listen with your ears wide open Rahul Gandhi if this is repeated we will enter your home and shoot you,” the Karni Sena member said in the video, with a saffron colour scarf with the Lotus symbol and images of Narendra Modi and Om Birla in the background.
He also demanded action against the 25 MPs within 24-hours or they too would be killed.
Khera said the video message being circulated was an attempt to demonise the opposition and legitimise violence against political rivals – especially Rahul Gandhi.
“This is how radicalistion works: they manufacture a lie, amplify it through repetition, sanctify it with political authority and circulate it until their followers are incited to hatred and violence,” Khera said. “This is how Godse was created then. This is how another Godse is being instigated today.”
This isn’t the first time Rahul has faced death threats from right-wing radicals.
Last September in Kerala’s Thrissur, a schoolteacher and ABVP functionary, Pintu Mahadevan had during a live television debate issued death threats to Rahul.
Formed in 2006, Karni Sena gained notoriety when its members stormed into the sets of Padmaavat in 2018. Pitching itself as the voice of the Rajput community, Karni Sena has spread to other states of north India.
In April 2025, the Karni Sena goons attacked the convoy of Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh.
Man detained in Kota
The man identifying himself as Raj Singh was detained in Rajasthan’s Kota on Thursday, a senior official confirmed.
Police acted after a video featuring Singh surfaced on social media, following which he was taken into custody by the Kota police.
Kota Superintendent of Police (SP) Tejaswani Gautam told PTI that the police initiated suo motu action and detained the accused at Borkheda police station. He is currently being questioned in connection with the video.
"As of now, there has been no confirmation regarding his links to any organisation. Four criminal cases are already registered against him at Udyog Nagar police station. Appropriate legal proceedings will be initiated under relevant sections," she said.
In the video, a photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Birla shaking hands is visible on the wall behind Singh.
Both the BJP and the Karni Sena have denied any association with him.
"I want to clarify that the person seen in the viral video has no connection with the BJP. The BJP is a disciplined party committed to nation-building. This type of language and conduct are completely contrary to our ideology and moral values," BJP Kota city president Rakesh Jain said.
Mahipal Singh Makrana, national president of Shri Rajput Karni Sena, said the man who issued the video statement was not linked to the organisation.
He said the Karni Sena has never issued a statement threatening someone's life.
"We talk about protesting, showing black flags, taking to the streets, but never about killing someone. We do not endorse such a path. That is not our ideology," he said.
"For us, Narendra Modi is as respectful as Rahul Gandhi. We may have ideological differences with others, but we do not issue such threats. The person making such a public threat to take someone's life has nothing to do with us. This individual is not a member of the Karni Sena," Makrana said.