Sikandarabad Nagar Palika President Dr Pradeep Dixit expressed regret over his controversial remarks, declaring $Rs 1 crore reward for beheading Trinamool Congress MP Sayoni Ghosh.
Dixit on Wednesday said that he does not believe in violence and that his remarks were made out of pain after seeing a social media post that he believes insulted Lord Shiva.
He said in a statement, “I do not believe in violence, and violence is not part of my nature.”
He said he later learned that the social media post Ghosh shared was from 2015 and that the MP had already expressed remorse for it.
“In this context, he also expressed regret,” Dixit said, adding that he belongs to a tradition that teaches compassion and respect for all living beings.
“We belong to a tradition of watering trees, feeding birds and even offering sugar to ants. I appeal to people not to insult any of the gods, saints or prophets,” he said.
Dixit further said that the religious sentiments of many people were hurt by social media posts linked to Ghosh.
He added: “But I did not know that she had already apologized for hurting religious feelings. In this context, I also expressed regret.”
In a post on X on Tuesday, Ghosh said she was surprised to see a public announcement being offered $A reward of Rs 1 crore for her beheading has been issued by the Nagar Palika president and BJP leader from Sikanderabad in Uttar Pradesh.
“This threat is being widely circulated across social media platforms and has been reported in mainstream media. My question to Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Nitin Nabin and Om Birla: Is the announcement of a reward for beheading a woman, MP – issued by a public representative of the BJP in a BJP-ruled state – the real idea of ’Nari Shakti Vandhan’ in New Bharat?” I read her message.
“While the BJP leadership, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has made women’s security and representation a central election issue, an elected representative is now facing an open death threat from one of her party’s CMs. Will they (West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police Commissioner) act quickly on this and ensure safety?” Read this post as well.
She also asked the state police to take immediate legal action and the BJP to take political action against its member who was inciting her murder.
