Odia film actor Buddhaditya Mohanty has found himself at the center of a storm after making a controversial statement on Facebook targeting Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. In his post, Mohanty allegedly suggested that Gandhi should be the next target of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The post, which was later deleted, sparked widespread anger and condemnation.
Mohanty’s post, which drew parallels between the gangster and notorious intelligence agencies from other countries, read: “Germany had the Gestapo… Israel has the Mossad… USA has the CIA… now India has Lawrence Bishnoi… next in the list should be Owaisi and Rahul Gandhi.” This inflammatory statement drew immediate criticism, with many accusing Mohanty of inciting violence against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
Following the backlash, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) president Udit Pradhan filed a police complaint against the actor at the Capital police station on Friday. Pradhan demanded action against Mohanty for his post, highlighting the seriousness of the threat implied against Gandhi. He also submitted a screenshot of the post as evidence to the police.
Amidst the growing outrage, Mohanty issued an apology through a Facebook post on Friday. The actor claimed his post was never intended to target, harm, or demean Rahul Gandhi in any way. He stated that his intention was not to write anything against Gandhi and apologized for unintentionally hurting anyone’s sentiments.
The incident comes in the wake of the recent shooting of Congress-turned-NCP leader Baba Siddique. Siddique was shot at on October 12 near his son’s office in Mumbai’s Bandra area. He succumbed to his injuries at Lilavati Hospital. Nine persons have been arrested in connection with the case, while three key individuals remain on the run.
The police are currently investigating the matter and are expected to take appropriate action based on the evidence. Mohanty’s controversial post has once again highlighted the dangers of irresponsible and inflammatory statements on social media, particularly when they target public figures.