New Delhi, September 24, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Thursday condemned Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani’s remarks against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, after the Bihar politician said he would shoot the poll panel chief if he were allowed to commit one murder without consequence.
Sahani’s comments triggered a political controversy amid an ongoing row over the functioning of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav described the remarks as an attempt to incite people and called for legal action against Sahani. He said it was deeply unfortunate for a political leader to speak about shooting the Chief Election Commissioner.
Another Bihar Minister, Santosh Kumar Suman, said such statements had no place in a democracy or a civilised society. He said political differences should be contested through ideological and constitutional means and not through threats of violence.
BJP national spokesperson Guru Prakash also criticised Sahani’s remarks, describing them as “foolish and unconstitutional” and questioning whether they amounted to an attempt to incite violence.
Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary said political leaders with a public profile should exercise restraint in their statements. Congress MP Imran Masood also said he did not support violence and that there was no place for violence in his party’s ideology.
Sahani, however, defended his remarks while speaking to IANS. He said that if the Constitution permitted one murder to be forgiven, he would shoot Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the CEC was “intent on destroying the country”. He also invoked his association with the legacy of Phoolan Devi while saying that he would not hesitate to take up arms against anyone attempting to destroy the country.
The remarks came a day after an Indian Express report alleged that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections to several decisions of the poll panel over the past 10 months. The report said the objections concerned issues including electoral-roll management and SIR-related decisions.
The ECI has rejected the suggestion of an internal rift, with its sources maintaining that decisions, including those related to SIR, were taken with the approval of all three commissioners.
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