BJP leader threatens Indian Muslims with violent remarks
Viral video shows ruling party leader inciting violence, raising alarm over rising anti-Muslim hate speech in India
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — A local leader of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sparked outrage after issuing a death threat to Muslims in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, warning they would be “chopped like carrots and radishes” if accused of slaughtering cows.
The remarks, made by Lavkush Ojha during a public event, were captured on video and widely circulated online. According to Clarion India, Ojha — a BJP block chief — told the crowd that party workers would carry out violence against Muslims even if cow slaughter “came to their mind.” The video has since triggered alarm among residents and calls for legal action.
Muslim families in the district say the speech has left them fearful of daily life. Shopkeepers and butchers describe avoiding late travel, staying in touch with relatives for safety, and urging police to patrol markets. “We are worried. When a leader says this from a stage, it makes us afraid to go about our work,” one resident said.
Legal experts note that the threat, if authenticated, could fall under India’s Penal Code provisions on criminal intimidation and incitement to communal violence. Rights groups stress that public calls for bloodshed from political representatives carry greater weight, as they risk legitimizing vigilante action.
Uttar Pradesh enforces one of India’s strictest bans on cow slaughter, a law critics say has long been weaponized against Muslims. Independent reports have documented how accusations of cattle-related offences have repeatedly preceded mob lynchings, arrests, and harassment.
Activists argue that Ojha’s words show how state law and Hindutva rhetoric combine to create an atmosphere of intimidation.
Civil society groups are demanding a transparent police inquiry, registration of a formal complaint, and protection for vulnerable families. Opposition figures have urged the BJP to disavow the remarks publicly, while community leaders have appealed for calm. “This is not rhetoric, it is a direct call to violence. We want protection, explanation and action,” one organizer said.
Observers warn that the episode is part of a broader trend in which hate speech has moved from the fringes into mainstream politics, leaving India’s Muslim minority exposed not only to vigilante threats but also to hostility voiced by officials of the ruling party itself.
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