NEW DELHI: Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad on Monday sparked a fresh controversy after he placed a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who will "chop off the tongue" of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statements on reservations during his US trip.
The Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule, however, distanced himself and said he does not endorse the Sena MLA's remarks. BJP is a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led government in the state.
"While he was abroad, Rahul Gandhi said that he wants to finish off the reservation system in India. This has exposed the true face of the Congress," Gaikwad told PTI announcing the bounty.
The comments by Rahul Gandhi on his US trip has invited widespread criticism from many quarters back home.
During his US trip, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress Party would think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place, which is not the case right now.
“We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place. And India is not a fair place,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi told students in response to a question on reservation and how long it would continue.
"The problem is that 90% of India is not able to play. Go through the list of every single business leader in India. I've done it. Show me the tribal name. Show me the Dalit name. Show me the OBC name. Out of the top 200, I think there's one OBC. They're 50% of India. But we're not treating the symptom,” he said.
“There are many people who come from the upper caste who say, look, what have we done wrong? Why are we being punished? So, then you think about increasing dramatically the supply of some of these things. You think about decentralising power. You think about involving many more people in the governance of our country. You think of opening up. With all due respect, I don't think any of you are ever going to become Adani or Ambani. There's a reason for that. You can't. Because those doors are closed. So the answer to people in the general cast is you open those doors,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, Gaikwad, an MLA representing the Buldhana assembly seat in the Vidarbha region, has been involved in several controversies.
Earlier in February, Gaikwad stirred further controversy by claiming he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and had been wearing its tooth as a necklace ever since. In response, the state Forest department sent the alleged tiger tooth for forensic examination and charged Gaikwad under the Wildlife Protection Act.
( with input from agency)
The Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule, however, distanced himself and said he does not endorse the Sena MLA's remarks. BJP is a constituent of the Shiv Sena-led government in the state.
"While he was abroad, Rahul Gandhi said that he wants to finish off the reservation system in India. This has exposed the true face of the Congress," Gaikwad told PTI announcing the bounty.
The comments by Rahul Gandhi on his US trip has invited widespread criticism from many quarters back home.
During his US trip, Rahul Gandhi said the Congress Party would think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place, which is not the case right now.
“We will think of scrapping reservations when India is a fair place. And India is not a fair place,” the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi told students in response to a question on reservation and how long it would continue.
"The problem is that 90% of India is not able to play. Go through the list of every single business leader in India. I've done it. Show me the tribal name. Show me the Dalit name. Show me the OBC name. Out of the top 200, I think there's one OBC. They're 50% of India. But we're not treating the symptom,” he said.
“There are many people who come from the upper caste who say, look, what have we done wrong? Why are we being punished? So, then you think about increasing dramatically the supply of some of these things. You think about decentralising power. You think about involving many more people in the governance of our country. You think of opening up. With all due respect, I don't think any of you are ever going to become Adani or Ambani. There's a reason for that. You can't. Because those doors are closed. So the answer to people in the general cast is you open those doors,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, Gaikwad, an MLA representing the Buldhana assembly seat in the Vidarbha region, has been involved in several controversies.
Earlier in February, Gaikwad stirred further controversy by claiming he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and had been wearing its tooth as a necklace ever since. In response, the state Forest department sent the alleged tiger tooth for forensic examination and charged Gaikwad under the Wildlife Protection Act.
( with input from agency)
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