UP official expresses regret for announcing Rs 1 crore offer to behead TMC MP Saayoni Ghosh

Sikandrabad Nagar Palika Chairman Dr Pradeep Dixit on Wednesday expressed regret over his controversial remarks, announcing Rs 1 crore reward to behead Trinamool Congress MP Saayoni Ghosh.

Dixit said he does not believe in violence and that his remarks were made in anguish after seeing a social media post that he believed insulted Lord Shiva.

''I do not believe in violence, nor is violence part of my nature,'' he said in a statement.

He said he later came to know that the social media post involving Ghosh was from 2015 and that the MP had already expressed regret over it.

''In that context, I also express regret,'' Dixit said, adding that he comes from a tradition that teaches compassion and respect for all living beings.

''We belong to a tradition that waters trees, feeds birds and even offers sugar to ants. I appeal to people that no one should insult gods, saints or prophets,'' he said.

Dixit further said that the religious sentiments of many people were hurt through the social media post linked to Ghosh.

''But I didn't know that she had already apologised for hurting religious sentiments. In that context, I also express regret,'' he said.

In an X post on Tuesday, Ghosh said she was taken aback to see a public announcement offering Rs 1 crore reward for her beheading, issued by none other than a Nagar Palika Chairman and a BJP leader from Uttar Pradesh's Sikandrabad.

''This threat is circulating widely across social media platforms and has been reported in the mainstream media. My question to honourable Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Nitin Nabin and Om Birla: Is declaring a bounty to behead a woman, a sitting Member of Parliament -- issued by a BJP public representative in a BJP-ruled state -- the true idea of 'Nari Shakti Vandan' in New Bharat?'' her post read.

''While the BJP leadership, including West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, made women's security and representation a central election issue, an elected woman representative is now facing an open death threat from a member of his (CM's) own party. Will (West Bengal Police and Kolkata Commissioner of Police) swiftly act on it and ensure safety?'' the post further read.

It also asked the state police to initiate immediate legal action and the BJP to take political action against its member who was inciting her murder.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)