Pappu Yadav claims he’s been threatened after shoe‑throw incident, says ‘I should be burnt alive’

On Saturday, Bihar‑based independent MP Pappu Yadav found himself the centre of a dramatic episode in Delhi. While addressing reporters after a press conference, a man hurled a shoe at him. The shoe struck Yadav, but the drama didn’t end there – the assailant was also found to be carrying a knife, which police later confiscated.

Yadav, speaking to NDTV later that day, said the attack was not an isolated incident. “I have been getting threats from a number of sadhus and saints,” he told the channel. “One saint publicly declared that if my parliamentary seat isn’t cancelled, I should be burnt alive. Another even put a bounty of ₹51 lakh on my head.”

The man identified by the authorities as Sumit from Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly believed that Yadav had insulted religious ascetics. Sources say Sumit thought the MP’s recent actions disrespected the sadhus, prompting the violent outburst.

Yadav’s explanation points back to a protest he took part in inside the Parliament complex just days earlier. The opposition members staged a skit over alleged misappropriation of donations collected for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Wearing saffron robes, a tilak and acting like a priest, Yadav and a few colleagues mimicked devotees dropping money into donation boxes – a performance that quickly turned into a political flashpoint.

After the shoe‑throwing incident, Yadav maintained his innocence. “I have not committed any crime,” he said. “In fact, I tried to protect the person who attacked me.” He added that the opposition would keep pressing for a parliamentary debate on the alleged theft of temple offerings.

The incident has also drawn a sharp reaction from the ruling party. A BJP delegation led by MP Bansuri Swaraj filed a complaint alleging that the use of saffron attire and the tilak was “political theatre” that hurt Hindu sentiments. They have urged Delhi police to preserve CCTV footage, original video recordings, TV coverage and social‑media posts related to the protest.

As of now, the police have taken the knife into evidence and are probing the motive behind the assault. Meanwhile, Yadav says he will not be cowed; he expects the opposition leaders – Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav – to decide the party’s stance on the Ram Mandir controversy.