30/April/2025 Fact Recorder
Long-time Congress leader and popular Bhopal Central MLA Arif Masood is facing death threats in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. The latest has been issued publicly by a BJP leader and close supporter of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Krishna Ghadge.
On Tuesday, multiple videos emerged of Krishna Ghadge speaking about the terror attack, while addressing a Hanuman Janmotsav event, and saying: “Yeh vishay Pakistan ka nahin hai. Uss Pakistan ke agents issi chaurahe par khade ho kar sun rahe hain. Mein unhein batana chahta hoon ab tum mein hungama karke dikhao. Arif Masood, chor aur uske anuyayiyo jo hamare dharm ka virodh karenge, un… ko chhodenge nahin, yahin par maarenge (This matter is not about Pakistan. Those agents of Pakistan are standing at this very intersection, listening. I want to tell them, now try causing a ruckus in Bhopal. Arif Masood, the thief, and his followers who oppose our religion, we will not spare them… We will deal with them right here).”
Ghadge, a member of the state working committee, also used an expletive against Masood.
With a complaint against him forwarded to police by Masood’s supporters, Ghadge posted a statement on his account refusing to apologise for his comments. “Our rally was against Pakistan. My statement calling him (Masood) a Pakistani agent and a threat to take his life… it’s a subject that is much better discussed now that the Arif Masood fan club people are filing a complaint against me… I spoke against Pakistan and they are taking Pakistan’s side and filing a report against me.”
A day earlier, a man called Sachin Raghuvanshi had issued death threats to Masood. Photos of Raghuvanshi, who faces an FIR, later emerged with a senior BJP leader. Pointing to this, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh posted on X, “Will @CP_Bhopal assess the ‘Threat Perception’ regarding Arif Masood’s security and enhance his protection? It should be enhanced. Will @BJP4MP take legal action against Sachin Suryavanshi? They should.” Speaking toMasood said the attacks against him showed the BJP realised his strength. “I am a strong Opposition member. They are scared of warriors,” he said.
