Congress has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding urgent action against BJP spokesperson Pintu Mahadev for issuing a death threat against Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, during a live television debate.

The party has called for “immediate and strict” action against Mahadev, describing the threat as “heinous” and “chilling.”

Congress leader and Public Accounts Committee Chairperson K.C. Venugopal penned a strong letter to the Home Minister, urging urgent action against Mahadev for his remarks on News18 Kerala.

In the letter, Venugopal stated: "I write to draw your immediate attention to a chilling and heinous death threat levelled against Shri Rahul Gandhi, the Hon'ble Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, by Mr. Printu Mahadev—a spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—during a televised debate on News18 Kerala."

He added, "In a brazen act of incitement of violence, Mr. Mahadev openly declared that 'Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest.' This is neither a slip of the tongue, nor careless hyperbole. It is a cold, calculated and chilling death threat against the Leader of the Opposition and one of India's foremost political leaders."

The controversy follows Mahadev’s remarks during the televised debate, where he said, “Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest”, referencing the assassinations of Rahul’s grandmother, Indira Gandhi, in 1984, and his father, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1991.

Venugopal warned that such statements from an official spokesperson of the ruling party endanger Rahul’s life and undermine constitutional guarantees.

He also referred to prior security warnings from the CRPF regarding threats to Rahul’s safety, as well as a leaked security letter addressed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

"A death threat against Shri Rahul Gandhi is not merely an attack on an individual; it is an assault on the democratic spirit he represents," Venugopal wrote, demanding "immediate, exemplary legal action through the state police so that justice is swift, visible and severe."

During the debate, Mahadev also declared, “People are with Modi”, and warned that if Rahul Gandhi harbours certain ambitions, “he will be shot in the chest”, adding that Gen Z protests “cannot do anything” in India.

The Congress party also condemned the threat on its official X handle, stating: "The BJP has crossed all limits! The Indian National Congress strongly condemns the heinous DEATH THREAT issued to LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi on live television by BJP spokesperson Pintu Mahadev."

The post questioned the BJP’s intentions, asking: "Is this a larger, sinister conspiracy being hatched against the people's leader, Rahul Gandhi ji? Does the BJP endorse the politics of criminal intimidation, violence and even death threats? Is the BJP trying to normalise violence against the LoP, a constitutional position, and other Opposition leaders who raise their voice against its misgovernance?"

The Congress also demanded a "categorical condemnation and public apology from the BJP leadership," warning that failure to act could be seen as complicity.

The party concluded: "Rahul Gandhi ji's fearless fight against the RSS-BJP ideology has rattled them. However, no threat or violence will deter him from standing up for the people of India and defending the Constitution. The nation stands united against any intimidation or tyranny."