A viral video of Kanpur councillor Raghavendra Mishra threatening an elderly senior citizen for not supporting the Hindutva party in Uttar Pradesh has gone viral on social media. The video has evoked angry reactions from netizens. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP saying that hooliganism was in the DNA of the Hindutva supporters.
In the viral video, Mishra is seen pulling the senior citizen by holding his jumper as he threatens to teach him a lesson. He’s heard saying, “I will have to make you understand like this.”
To which, the elderly person, identified as Bhupen Singh Bhadauria, replied, “Of course you will resort to hooliganism because you have your government (in Uttar Pradesh).”
Sharing the video, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, “Hindutva politics means hooliganism. #Election2022.”
हिंदुत्ववादियों की राजनीति यानि गुंडागर्दी।#Election2022 https://t.co/UYEQmHaXmD
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 1, 2022
Twitter users also reacted with shock after the video went viral. One user wrote, “There is no government in India but Hindutwa Ghundagardi.”
Another user commented, “This is UP n BJP ke Aasliyat!! Doesn’t this old man have a family of his own. His family should come n thrash this gunda .. look at the way he is holding on to the poor man’s pullover !! Shameful !!!!!”
“Is this the way to seek votes from people in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh? How arrogant leaders have been given chance to represent the BJP?
@BJP4UP If this is not open hooliganism, what else will be?,” commented another user.
Later, another video surfaced where both Mishra and Bhadauria are saying that the viral video was a part of a joke.
Update in #Kanpur incident.
The senior citizen claims himself to be uncle of Raghavendra Mishra.
“We were merely joking as why i should join the #BJP“, says the senior citizen. pic.twitter.com/VC6kLUQrC5
— Arvind Chauhan (@Arv_Ind_Chauhan) February 1, 2022
Uttar Pradesh is has had a BJP government under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who started his political career as the leader of a militant Hindu organisation, Hindu Yuva Vahini.
The state goes to the polls in seven stages from this month. The counting of votes will take place on 10 March.
