Sikandrabad Nagar Palika chairman Dr Pradeep Dixit expressed regret over his controversial remarks announcing a Rs 1 crore reward for the “beheading” of Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh, saying he made the statement in anguish over a social media post he believed had insulted Lord Shiva.
Dixit said he was later informed that the post linked to Ghosh dated back to 2015 and that the TMC MP had already apologised for hurting religious sentiments.
"I do not believe in violence, nor is violence part of my nature," he said in a statement.
"But I didn't know that she had already apologised for hurting religious sentiments. In that context, I also express regret," he said.
Dixit further added, "We belong to a tradition that waters trees, feeds birds and even offers sugar to ants. I appeal to people that no one should insult gods, saints or prophets."
The controversy erupted after a purported video of Dixit announcing a Rs 1 crore reward for Ghosh’s “beheading” went viral on social media, triggering sharp reactions from the Trinamool Congress leader.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Ghosh termed the remark an “open death threat” and said she was “taken aback” by the public announcement allegedly made by “a Nagar Palika chairman and a BJP leader” from Uttar Pradesh’s Sikandrabad.
“I am taken aback to see a public announcement offering a 1 crore reward for my beheading,” the TMC MP wrote, adding that the threat was being widely circulated across social media platforms and reported in sections of the mainstream media.
Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior BJP leaders, Ghosh questioned whether “declaring a bounty to behead a woman, a sitting Member of Parliament” reflected the BJP’s slogan of “Nari Shakti Vandan”.
"This threat is circulating widely across social media platforms and has been reported in the mainstream media. My question to honourable Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Nitin Nabin and Om Birla: Is declaring a bounty to behead a woman, a sitting Member of Parliament -- issued by a BJP public representative in a BJP-ruled state -- the true idea of 'Nari Shakti Vandan' in New Bharat?" her post read.
The MP also criticised the BJP leadership in West Bengal, saying women’s safety and representation had been projected as major election issues while an elected woman representative was now facing an “open death threat”.
"While the BJP leadership, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, made women's security and representation a central election issue, an elected woman representative is now facing an open death threat from a member of his (CM's) own party. Will (West Bengal Police and Kolkata Commissioner of Police) swiftly act on it and ensure safety?" the post further read.
Ghosh also demanded immediate legal and political action against the BJP leader allegedly seen in the viral video.
“I demand immediate legal and political action against the BJP member who is inciting my murder in broad daylight,” she said.
The TMC MP further asserted that she would continue to exercise her democratic right to voice dissent “both inside and outside Parliament” and would not be “bullied into silence”.
