Congress has demanded immediate legal action against BJP spokesperson Printu Mahadev after he issued a shocking death threat to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi during a televised debate in Kerala. The incident occurred on a Malayalam news channel during a discussion on Ladakh violence. Printu Mahadev, a former president of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), said on air that "Rahul Gandhi will be shot in the chest," a statement which Congress leaders termed as a "cold, calculated and chilling death threat".

Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah, warning that any delay in acting against Mahadev would be seen as complicity and normalization of violence against Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal emphasized that such remarks not only endanger Rahul Gandhi's life, but also undermine constitutional values and the rule of law. He further highlighted that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), responsible for Rahul Gandhi's security, has repeatedly raised concerns—one security letter was even mysteriously leaked to the media.

Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala asserted that police should immediately file a case against Printu Mahadev for openly issuing a death threat. The party also accused Kerala's state police under Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of inaction, alleging political collusion since Mahadev was not swiftly booked.

Social media and Congress leaders highlighted that the threat comes against a backdrop of previous threats to Rahul Gandhi, raising grave questions about his safety. The party and its supporters urged the government to clarify its stance and take exemplary legal measures, citing the grave dangers posed by such rhetoric to democratic principles and the lives of public figures.

Printu Mahadev is well-known for his association with ABVP—the student wing of RSS—and currently acts as a BJP spokesperson participating in panel debates. The incident has sparked major outrage, with demands for accountability and heightened security for opposition leaders