After sparking controversy with his ‘throttle Mayawati’ remark, Congress leader Udit Raj on Saturday sought protection from Delhi Police, alleging a threat from BSP leader Akash Anand and other party workers.
Seeking an FIR against people threatening him, Udit Raj wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner saying that there is a news clip in circulation on the YouTube Channel ‘Bahujan Dastak’ wherein an interviewer has been exhorting the public at large to slit the throat of Udit Raj and announced a reward of Rs one lakh for such an act.
He said ever since this new clip was streamed on YouTube, “I have been noticing unusual movement of various strangers near my house, thus, posing imminent an acute threat to my life and I apprehend that any untoward incident may take place if the adequate security is not provided immediately.”
“I request your good self to take immediate strict legal action and direct the concerned SHO to lodge an FIR immediately and take stern action against the culprits and provide security to me and my family members,” wrote Udit Raj who is also the National Chairman of All India Unorganised Workers and Employees Congress (KKC) and Chairman of Dalit, OBC, Minority and Adivasi Parisangh (DOMA Parisangh).
In his letter, the Congress leader said since the next morning of making remarks against Mayawati on February 17 he has been receiving “threatening calls on my mobile number 9899382211 and my office assistant’s numbers”.
“In the evening of the same day at about 4.57 p.m. my PS received a phone call on 9899766882 from an unknown person from mobile number 8527621072 who threatened me to cause physical injury as he had been instructed by Mayawati and Akash Anand of Bahujan Samaj Party to commit such offence, and further threatened me of dire consequences if I speak against her (Mayawati) in future,” he wrote.
The controversy erupted after Udit Raj’s remarks on February 17 during an event in Lucknow, where he suggested that Mayawati should be “throttled” for allegedly stifling social welfare movements.
Mr Raj’s remarks sparked a strong backlash from Mayawati, who said, “The Congress, which has always rejected Bhimrao Ambedkar’s struggle for the self-respect and self-esteem of millions of oppressed Dalits and Bahujans, can never be true to his thinking and policies.”
Earlier, speaking to IANS, BJP National Spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, “Congress is insulting Dalits with this statement. They are insulting a prominent Dalit leader like Mayawati. It’s time to throttle the Congress party as well. The Congress is engaging in the politics of strangulation, and this will cost them dearly.”
JD-U leader Rajeev Ranjan Prasad also condemned Mr Raj’s statement, saying, “The tone of Congress leaders is worsening due to panic and frustration. Such statements are unacceptable in any democratic country. This is extremely insulting.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
