Thakur’s ‘Desh Ke Gaddaron’ Chant: Delhi Poll Officer Seeks Report

In a video posted on Twitter, Thakur can be seen urging supporters to “gun down traitors” at a BJP rally in Rithala.

A day after Union Minister Anurag Thakur courted controversy by shouting “gun down traitors” at an election rally, the chief electoral officer of Delhi, on Tuesday, 28 January, sought a report from the returning officer of Rithala constituency over the Bharatiya Janata Party minister’s speech.

In a video posted on Twitter, the Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs can be seen stoking supporters, shouting “Desh ke gaddaron ko” with the crowd replaying “goli maaro sa***n ko.”

Shocking: It was a local BJP leader from Delhi back then, its now a front line BJP leader and MoS Finance, Anurag Thakur who is leading the crowd to chant “Desh ke gaddaron ko, Goli maro salon ko”.

Such is the level of politics, ladies and gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/rXZ8M8m6lz

— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) January 27, 2020

This fellow should be in jail for incitement. Instead he is in the Cabinet. BJP finds only such lumpens as Candidates & for Cabinet https://t.co/mXBH4q3uPK

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) January 27, 2020

Within minutes of Anurag Thakur's 'goli maaro saalo ko' call, Home Minister Amit Shah, at the same event, tells the crowd 'joote maarna hamare sanskaar mein nahin hai' 🤔 https://t.co/LTQrvxfff2

— Sayoni Aiyar (@sayoniaiyar) January 27, 2020

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was also present at the rally, aiming jeers at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

“ Kejriwal ji are you in favor of action against Sharjeel Imam or not? Are you in favor of those at Shaheen Bagh or not? Make it clear to the people of Delhi,” he said.

Thakur was addressing a rally in support of BJP candidate Manish Chaudhary for the Rithala district for the upcoming Delhi Legislative Elections on 8 February.

‘EC Should Take Action Against Thakur’: Congress

The Congress, in response to Thakur’s remarks, demanded that the Election Commission (EC) should take action against Union minister Anurag Thakur for “instigating violence”.

“The EC must take immediate action against the minister for instigating violence and take appropriate measures.”

Sharmistha Mukherjee,Congress spokesperson

"As the economy is going downhill, unemployment is at record levels and the Modi government does not have anything to showcase, the BJP is back to its favourite game of polarisation," she added.

"What could be more outrageous, provoking and scary than a crowd chanting 'goli maro sa*** ko' at the provocation of none less than a Union minister? Anurag Thakur seems to be following the footsteps of his esteemed leaders, who identify crowds on the basis of the clothes they wear," Mukherjee said.

“Any responsible citizen of this country, let alone a minister, would deter crowds from raising such slogans and provoking violence against anyone who was opposed to the ruling BJP.”

Sharmistha Mukherjee,Congress spokesperson

The head of the Delhi Congress campaign committee, Kirti Azad also hit out at the saffron party, saying its leaders were the "real traitors" as they were working to "destroy" peace and amity.

Addressing the rally in support of Manish Chaudhary, the BJP candidate from Rithala in the February 8 Delhi Assembly polls, Thakur raised the pitch of nationalism as he linked opposition parties with the anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh and allegedly asked the crowd to raise the controversial slogan.