Karni Sena threat to Rahul Gandhi part of ‘orchestrated campaign’, claims Pawan Khera

Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera has accused the RSS-BJP ecosystem of fostering a climate of radicalisation after a viral video surfaced in which a self-proclaimed Karni Sena leader allegedly threatened Rahul Gandhi and 25 Congress Members of Parliament.

In a post on X, Khera described the development as part of a “calculated and devious plan”, claiming that the threat did not arise in isolation but followed what he termed a coordinated political narrative.

The controversy stems from recent tensions in the Lok Sabha, where parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that 20–25 Congress MPs had stormed Speaker Om Birla’s chamber and verbally abused him. The Congress has strongly denied the charge, citing video footage which it says shows no abuse and depicts the Speaker smiling during the exchange.

Following the incident, several BJP leaders publicly criticised Rahul Gandhi, with some describing him as a threat to national security. Khera argued that such statements were designed to “demonise the opposition” and create grounds for hostility.

The row intensified after a video circulated online purportedly showing a Karni Sena figure warning of violence against Rahul Gandhi and the MPs over alleged “gali galoch” directed at the speaker. In the clip, threats of vandalism and physical harm were reportedly made unless action was taken.

Khera alleged that the sequence of events — beginning with what he called a false claim in Parliament, followed by repeated assertions portraying Rahul Gandhi as a national security risk, and culminating in threats from fringe elements — reflected a pattern of deliberate radicalisation. Drawing a historical parallel, he referred to Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, and accused the ideological ecosystem of creating conditions that encourage extremism.

The Congress has demanded an inquiry into the threats. The BJP has not formally responded to Khera’s latest remarks.

The episode marks the latest flashpoint in an already fraught political climate, with both sides trading accusations over conduct inside and outside Parliament.