Actor apologises for remarks linking Rahul Gandhi to Lawrence Bishnoi gang

Odia actor Buddhaditya Mohanty apologised after facing backlash for suggesting Rahul Gandhi and Asaduddin Owaisi should be targeted by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi

Odia actor Buddhaditya Mohanty issued an apology on Monday evening after facing backlash over his controversial remarks about leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

A row erupted after Mohanty, in a social media post, suggested that Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi should be “on the list” of the gangster. In a now-deleted post, the actor wrote: "Germany had the Gestapo... Israel has the Mossad... the USA has the CIA... Now India has Lawrence Bishnoi... next in the list should be Owaisi and Rahul Gandhi."

As the post went viral, Mohanty’s remarks invited sharp criticism for inciting violence against the Congress leader. Subsequently, National Students' Union of India (NSUI) president Udit Pradhan filed a complaint over the incident. NSUI is the Congress' student wing. Condemning Mohanty’s remarks, Pradhan said such comments cannot be tolerated against their leader.

As the controversy snowballed, Mohanty issued an apology, stating he did not intend to target Gandhi. "My last post regarding Rahul Gandhi was never meant to target, harm, or demean him in any way, nor was it intended to be against him. If I unintentionally hurt anyone's sentiments, I offer my sincere apologies..."

Bishnoi gang’s name surfaces in Baba Siddique's murder

The Bishnoi gang made fresh headlines for their suspected involvement in the murder of senior Maharashtra politician Baba Siddique, who was shot dead on October 12 in Mumbai by three assailants. A member of the Bishnoi gang, identified as Shubham Lonkar, took responsibility for Siddique’s killing, linking it to his close association with actor Salman Khan.

Lawrence Bishnoi has threatened Salman Khan many times since 2018 over his alleged involvement in the Blackbuck hunting case of 1998 in Rajasthan. The animal is worshipped by the Bishnoi community, which is present in parts of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

Last week, Khan's father, veteran screenwriter Salim Khan, labelled the Bishnoi gang’s threats as an extortion tactic. During an interview with ABP News, he rejected the gang’s demand for a public apology from Salman, noting that “apologising would mean accepting the crime, which Salman did not commit.”