'Be ready to kill Modi': Congress leader stirs controversy; BJP calls it 'height of hatred'

In a video, former Madhya Pradesh minister Raja Pateria can be heard telling Congress workers, "be ready to kill Modi".

New Delhi: A huge political storm erupted in Madhya Pradesh after a senior Congress leader made a controversial remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking people to be prepared to "kill" Modi to save the Constitution and the future of minorities and Dalits. In a video that surfaced on social media on Monday (December 12, 2022), former Madhya Pradesh minister Raja Pateria can be heard telling Congress workers, "be ready to kill Modi. Kill in the sense of defeating him".

"...Modi will end elections. Modi will divide on the basis of religion, caste and language. The future of Dalits, tribals and minorities is in danger. If you want to save the Constitution, then be ready to kill Modi. Kill in the sense of defeating him," Pateria told a meeting of Congress workers in MP's Panna district.

Hitting back at Pateria, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the reality of those who are undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra is coming to the fore.

"Congress' people are not able to compete with PM Narendra Modi in the field, that's why a Congress leader is talking about killing him. This is the height of hatred. True feelings of Congress are being revealed. An FIR is being registered against him and law will take its course," he said in a statement.

यह विद्वेष की पराकाष्ठा व घृणा की अति है। कांग्रेस के असली भाव प्रकट हो रहे हैं। ऐसी चीजों को सहन नहीं किया जाएगा। एफआईआर की जा रही है और कानून अपना काम करेगा।

— Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) December 12, 2022

MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra also told reporters that Pateria's statement against PM Modi is "very objectionable" and that he was immediately directing the superintendent of police to register an FIR against the Congress leader.

माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी को लेकर आपत्तिजनक बयान देने वाले कांग्रेस नेता राजा पटेरिया के खिलाफ पन्ना एसपी को तत्काल एफआईआर करने के निर्देश दिए गए है। pic.twitter.com/uTR2zBHjIP

— Dr Narottam Mishra (@drnarottammisra) December 12, 2022

Earlier in the day, state BJP chief VD Sharma also demanded an inquiry wondering if there is a plot to assassinate the prime minister.

"Former Minister Raja Pateria's incitement of public and Congress workers to assassinate Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi is extremely serious and condemnable. Was there any preparation for this conspiracy in Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Todo Yatra from Madhya Pradesh recently? This should be investigated," Sharma said in a tweet in Hindi.

पूर्व मंत्री राजा पटेरिया द्वारा प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi की हत्या के लिए जनता और कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं को उकसाना अत्यंत गंभीर और निंदनीय है।

क्या हाल ही में मध्य प्रदेश से निकली राहुल गांधी की ‘भारत तोड़ो यात्रा’ में इस साजिश की तैयारी हुई? इसकी जांच होनी चाहिये। pic.twitter.com/oUn2dJIR9s

— VD Sharma (@vdsharmabjp) December 12, 2022

Meanwhile, Pateria issued a video statement and clarified that he meant to "defeat" PM Modi in the elections and that his remarks were "wrongly" presented.

"A video related to a mandal meeting yesterday at Pawai has surfaced. I am a follower of Mahatma Gandhi who can't talk about killing anyone. It was wrongly presented. I wanted to say defeat Modi to protect the Constitution, dalits, tribals and minorities and also to remove unemployment," he said.