BJP leader’s ‘Rs 1 crore bounty’ remark sparks controversy

MP, May 20, 2026, Kolkata: MPost, May 20, 2026, 12:37 AM, Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh on Tuesday condemned the alleged death threat issued by a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh, saying she was “taken aback” by the public announcement offering a Rs 1 crore reward for her beheading. In a statement posted on social media, Ghosh questioned whether such remarks reflected the BJP’s idea of “Nari Shakti Vandan” and demanded immediate legal action against the leader concerned. 

Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other BJP leaders, the TMC MP said an elected woman representative was facing an “open death threat” from a member of the ruling party in a BJP-ruled state. 

She also urged West Bengal Police, Kolkata Police, Uttar Pradesh Police and Bulandshahr Police to ensure her safety and initiate action against the accused. Ghosh added that she would continue to raise her voice “inside and outside Parliament” and “will not be bullied into silence”. 

The controversy erupted after Sikandrabad Nagar Palika chairman and BJP leader Dr Pradeep Dixit allegedly announced a Rs 1 crore reward for anyone who beheaded Ghosh over an old social media post related to a Shivling. 

The remarks were reportedly made during a protest in Sikandrabad against what organisers described as an insult to Hindu deities. Videos of the speech later circulated widely on social media. The BJP has distanced itself from the remarks.