BJP leader Anurag Thakur raises controversial slogan at poll rally
New Delhi, Jan 27: Triggering a row, BJP leader and Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday egged on participants of an election rally to raise an incendiary slogan that "traitors should be shot", after he lashed out at anti-CAA protestors.
At the rally, Thakur, the minister of state for finance, shouted "desh ke gaddaro ko" to which the crowd responded "goli maro sa*** ko" (shoot down the traitors).
Addressing the meeting in support of BJP candidate from Rithala, Manish Chaudhary, Thakur raised the pitch of nationalism as he linked opposition parties with anti-CAA protests in Shaheen Bagh and with alleged anti-India slogans, and then asked the crowd to raise the controversial slogan.
Hitting out at the BJP, Kirti Azad, who is the head of the Delhi Congress campaign committee, its leaders are the "real traitors" as they are working to "destroy" peace and amity.
The controversial slogan has been raised by some junior BJP leaders of late, including Kapil Mishra, but this is the first time a party functionary of the level of a Union minister has participated in it.
Thakur is also heard telling the crowd to raising the slogan in such a high voice that Giriraj Singh, a firebrand Hindutva leader and a Union minister, can hear it.
The BJP's Rithala candidate is seen as a protegee of Giriraj Singh.
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”.
— Prashant Kumar (@scribe_prashant) January 27, 2020
Such is the level of politics, ladies and gentlemen! pic.twitter.com/rXZ8M8m6lz
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Road crash in UP leaves 10 dead
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP) (PTI): Ten people were killed when a van collided head-on with a truck on the Sisaiya-Lakhimpur national highway on Monday, police said.
The van was going to Sisaiya from Lakhimpur when the accident took place between Unchgaon and Bharehta villages.
Circle Officer of Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh, said all nine passengers travelling in the van and the driver were killed.
District Magistrate of Lakhimpur Kheri Anjani Kumar Singh told reporters that the van collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction, leading to nine casualties on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries at the district hospital.
Circle Officer, Dhaurahra, Shamsher Bahadur Singh told PTI, "Efforts are on to establish the identity of other deceased persons."
The seven of the deceased have been identified as Jaideep Singh (25), Pawan (23), Sohan (21), Ram Goyal (42), Sahajram (35), Pappu (18), all residents of Bahraich district and Adnan Khan (15), a resident of Lakhimpur Kheri district, police said.
Condoling the loss of lives in the accident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in a post on X, said, "The loss of life in the unfortunate road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply distressing and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families."
"I have directed the local administration to provide prompt and adequate assistance to the injured and the victims. I pray to Lord Shri Ram to grant the departed souls a place at His divine feet and to bestow a speedy recovery upon the injured," Adityanath said on X.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak too condoled the loss of lives in the accident.
"The loss of lives resulting from the road accident in Lakhimpur Kheri district is deeply tragic and heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences go out to the bereaved families," Maurya said.
