In a strong rebuttal to CPI(M) ministers P. Rajeev and M.B. Rajesh, V.D. Satheesan, the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, clarified on Wednesday that their assertion that the Congress party failed to protest or file complaints regarding a death threat against Rahul Gandhi was incorrect.
Speaking at a press conference from his official residence in Thiruvananthapuram, Satheesan detailed that the threat, made by BJP leader Printu Mahadevan, was broadcast on a news channel on September 26.
Following the incident, Congress leaders promptly submitted several complaints to various police stations across the state over the next two days. “We even organized protests on September 27, in which I personally participated,” Satheesan stated. “We anticipated that the government would ensure a case was registered. When no First Information Report (FIR) was filed by noon on September 29, we brought the matter to the attention of the House.”
Satheesan emphasized that the ministers’ statements were inaccurate, as an FIR was only registered on the evening of September 29. He also pointed out that Minister Rajeev seemed unaware that September 27 and 28 fell on a Saturday and Sunday, respectively, when he questioned why the Congress did not raise the issue immediately.
Furthermore, Satheesan highlighted that Minister Rajesh’s claim of receiving a complaint only on September 29 was also incorrect. “I urge both ministers to retract their erroneous statements,” he asserted.
The Opposition Leader also criticized Speaker A.N. Shamseer for dismissing the death threat against Rahul Gandhi, who serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as a ‘minor issue’ when the United Democratic Front (UDF) attempted to address it through an adjournment motion in the House.
After the assembly was adjourned on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) due to opposition protests, UDF MLAs spoke to reporters outside, demanding Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan clarify whether the remark that Rahul Gandhi “would be shot in the chest was a trivial matter.” They further accused the government of “shielding” the BJP leader, attributing it to fear and labeling it as “the latest evidence of an unholy alliance between the BJP and CPI(M) in Kerala.”
Meanwhile, the state BJP leadership countered these allegations, accusing the Congress-UDF of orchestrating “unnecessary propaganda” concerning the issue. Printu Mahadevan, reportedly a former ABVP leader, allegedly made the controversial remarks during a television discussion concerning protests in Bangladesh and Nepal.
On Tuesday evening (September 30, 2025), Mahadevan, accompanied by some party workers, surrendered to the police. His arrest was formally recorded, and he was subsequently presented before a court, which granted him bail.
