BJP holds nationwide protests against Bilawal Bhutto's remarks against PM Modi, burns effigies

The BJP had earlier dubbed Bhutto's comments against Modi as 'highly shameful and derogatory'

The BJP held countrywide protests on Saturday against Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's "uncivilised and distasteful" personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the party sought to rally support over the issue.

BJP leaders and workers took out marches in various state capitals, burnt Bhutto's effigies, called him a "'vidwesh mantri' (hatred minister)" and demanded he apologises to the 135 crore people of India. One BJP leader announced a bounty of Rs 2 crore on the Pakistani leader's head. "India came together to condemn and protest Bhutto's uncivilised and distasteful comment on PM Modi," the party said, adding that protests were held in every state.

The Pakistani foreign minister made remarks against PM Modi, calling him the "butcher of Gujarat" and criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) after India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted at the United Nations Security Council meeting Pakistan's support to various terror groups and described the country as the "epicentre of terrorism".

The march of party workers in Lucknow was led by Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, and in Patna by state BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal. In Uttar Pradesh, reports of protests were also received from Amethi, Unnao, Muzaffarangar, Baghpat, Bhadohi, Ballia, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Maharajganj and Budaun.

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Manupal Bansal, a BJP member of zila panchayat of Baghpat, said he would give Rs 2-crore reward to anyone beheading the Pakistani foreign minister. "I declare that I will give a reward of Rs 2 crore to anyone who will behead minister Bilawal Bhutto)," Bansal told a protest gathering at the collectorate in Bhadohi. His announcement was followed by slogans of 'Manupal Bansal zindabad' by the crowd.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP unit took out a march from the party's office in Jawahar Nagar, raising slogans against Bhutto and demanding an apology from him. "This march is part of the countrywide protests by BJP against Bhutto's shameless comments against our beloved prime minister. This protest is against Pakistan which is a terror state," party's Kashmir media incharge, Manzoor Ahmad, told reporters.

Protests were also reported from Gujarat's Rajkot, Vadodara, Gandhinagar, Botad, Mahisagar, Junagadh and many other places.

In Gandhinagar, a delegation led by state BJP's Yuva Morcha president Prashant Korat submitted a memorandum criticising Pakistan and the minister to Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan. "What Bhutto said was an insult to the entire country and its countrymen, not just PM Modi. BJP workers, as well as citizens, have joined a state-wide protest against Bhutto's remarks," Korat told reporters.