A Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad  announced that he will offer Rs 11 lakh to anyone who cuts off Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi’s tongue over his comments about ending the reservation system. Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekar Bawankule has distanced himself from Gaikwad’s remarks, even though the BJP is part of the Shiv Sena-led government in the state.

“Rahul Gandhi’s statement in which he talked about ending the reservation in India, it is the biggest lie to the public. On one hand, demands of reservation are rising in Maharashtra, and there Rahul Gandhi made a statement to end reservation in the country… Today he is speaking the language of ending reservation from the country and has shown the real face of the Congress. Whoever chops off Rahul Gandhi’s tongue, I will give him a reward of Rs 11 lakh,” Gaikwad told reporters before making his unusual offer.

Gaikwad, who represents the Buldhana assembly seat in the Vidarbha region, is no stranger to controversy. Last month, a video went viral showing a policeman cleaning Gaikwad’s car, which led to a flurry of social media buzz. Gaikwad later explained that the policeman had cleaned the car voluntarily after accidentally vomiting inside it.

Earlier this year, Gaikwad made headlines by claiming he had hunted a tiger in 1987 and wore its tooth as a necklace. The state Forest Department then had the tooth tested for forensic identification and charged him under the Wildlife Protection Act.