Rikesh Sen, a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Chhattisgarh, stoked controversy after a purported video of him went viral on Saturday showing him talking about "slitting throats" of those who indulge in religious conversion. Sen's statement was condemned by the Congress, which demanded action from the Election Commission. He is an MLA from Vaishali Nagar in Durg district. According to news agency PTI, the video was reportedly made during a Hanuman Jayanti event at Patel Chowk in Durg.
"Hindu Navvarsh (Hindu New Year) should not be celebrated only for a day. When you go out in the morning, you should have 'tilak' on your forehead, and Hanuman Chalisa should be recited daily. Even if you have to sacrifice your life to protect Sanatan and Hindutva, do so, but never let yourself get converted. If anyone tries for religious conversion, then slit their throats," he reportedly said, as quoted by PTI.
On being questioned about the statement, Sen's media in-charge, Santosh Mishra, said the MLA was out of station but asserted the former stood by his comments. Congress' Chhattisgarh in-charge Sachin Pilot slammed Sen's remarks, saying that such statements about religion, caste, and community will not help in creating a healthy democracy. "The Election Commission should take action," Pilot told reporters at Raipur airport, as quoted by PTI.
This comes days after Sen was caught on camera disrupting couples' rendezvous at a Garden in his constituency. He was seen shooing away couples from the garden, prompting some of them to demand the reopening of OYO Rooms for their privacy needs.
The BJP MLA, upon reaching the park, claimed to have received complaints about couples engaging in "indecent activities" there. In a video, Sen is seen interrogating the couples about their activities, to which one individual responded, "We came to spend time and chat, you had the OYOs closed so we have come to the garden."