Congress leader Udit Raj has alleged that a reward of Rs 1 lakh has been announced on his life and he is receiving death threats ever since he made remarks criticising Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati. Raj demanded security from the police saying that he has been receiving hundreds of threat calls every day.
#WATCH | Delhi: On receiving death threats, Congress leader Udit Raj says, "You can see the tweets of BSP chief Mayawati, BSP national coordinator Akash Anand, in which they have written in a threatening tone, after which I am getting death threats, and I have also recorded about… pic.twitter.com/UYmpZbqAcQ
— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2025
Raj said that he recorded some of the threat calls and submitted them along with a written complaint before the Delhi Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora. He held Mayawati and her nephew Akash Anand, who is also BSP’s national coordinator, responsible for inciting threats against him and demanded an FIR against them.
What did Udit Raj say?
Raj had made a controversial remark against Mayawati during a press conference in Lucknow on Monday (17th February). Referring to the conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjun in Mahabharata, the former MP said, “When during the war in Mahabharata, Arjun asked Krishna, ‘how will I kill my cousins and relatives’, Krishna said, ‘fight for justice and kill your own people’. Today, my Krishna told me to ‘first kill your enemy’. And the enemy of social justice (is) Mayawati, who strangled the social movement. Now, the time has come to strangle her.” Urging Muslims and Dalits to unite against their oppressors, Raj said, “Muslims cannot fight this alone…the Dalits are also not capable alone.”
Urgent attention please..⚠️🔊📣
— Suraj Kumar Bauddh (@SurajKrBauddh) February 17, 2025
Congress leader Udit Raj openly gave death threat to Behen Mayawati ji. He is threatening to strangle her. Horrifying!
Congress, frustrated by losing the LS elections, has now resorted to violence. @Uppolice @Mayawati @NCWIndia pic.twitter.com/Ig3QRFEWcO
Akash Anand demanded swift action against Raj
Following his remarks, BSP protested in Lucknow and other cities on Tuesday (18th February) demanding action against Raj. Condemning Raj’s distasteful remarks, Akash Anand posted on X urging the Uttar Pradesh Police to take action against Udit Raj within 24 hours. He added that if swift action was not taken against Raj then the Bahujan youth of the country would not sit quietly.
आज लखनऊ में मान्यवर कांशीराम साहेब के कुछ पुराने सहयोगी और कभी भाजपा कभी कांग्रेसी चमचे उदितराज ने साहेब के मिशन पर लंबा चौड़ा ज्ञान दिया है। जबकि उदितराज अपने स्वार्थ के लिए दूसरे दलों में मौका तलाशने के लिए कुख्यात है। उसे बहुजन मूवमेंट की चिंता सिर्फ इसलिए है ताकि वो किसी दल… https://t.co/Fp8lk500is
— Akash Anand (@AnandAkash_BSP) February 17, 2025
Udit Raj later posted on X on 19th February clarifying his statement on Mayawati. He said that when he asked to strangulate Mayawati he did not mean it rather he said that metaphorically. He added that he was merely urging people to recognise her true face and stop supporting her.
मुझे आश्चर्य हुआ कि बीएसपी के लोगों में कोई सोच भी है या नहीं। प्रेस कांफ्रेंस में मैंने कहा कि सुश्री मायावती ने बहुजन आंदोलन का गला घोटा है और अब इनका गला घोटने का समय आ गया है। बहुजन आंदोलन का गला घोटा, मतलब तलवार से किसी का गला मायावती जी ने नहीं काटा। मैंने एक ही वाक्य में…
— Dr. Udit Raj (@Dr_Uditraj) February 19, 2025
Recent Congress attack on BSP
During his visit to Raebareli Lok Sabha Constituency on 20th February, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a dig at Mayawati accusing her of distancing herself from the I.N.D.I. Alliance during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Gandhi said that the Congress wanted the BSP to join them in fighting elections against the BJP but Mayawati did not join the alliance for some reason.
#WATCH | During his interaction with students in Rae Bareli today, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, "We wanted Behenji to be with us in the fight against BJP. But for some reason, Mayawati ji did not do so. If all three parties had come together, the BJP would have never won…" pic.twitter.com/wwSnP54Z7x
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2025
Responding to Gandhi’s accusations, Mayawati posted a series of posts on X accusing the Congress party of having a dual character and a casteist mindset. She said in states where Congress is strong, it harbours hostilities against BSP. But in states like the UP where it is weak, it misguides people by talking of an alliance with BSP.
1. कांग्रेस पार्टी जिन राज्यों में मजबूत है या जहाँ उनकी सरकारें हैं वहाँ बीएसपी व उनके अनुयाइयों के साथ द्वेष व जातिवादी रवैया है, किन्तु यूपी जैसे राज्य में जहाँ कांग्रेस कमजोर है वहाँ बीएसपी से गठबंधन की वरग़लाने वाली बातें करना यह उस पार्टी का दोहरा चरित्र नहीं तो और क्या है?
— Mayawati (@Mayawati) February 20, 2025
She added that alliance with Congress has always been detrimental to her party as in such alliance, BSP’s base vote gets transferred to the other parties but other parties’ base vote never transfers to the BSP.