BJP MLA Nanda Kishore Gurjar from Loni, Ghaziabad, has come under fire after a video surfaced showing him threatening Muslim meat shop owners during a visit to their shops, accompanied by police. In the video, which has gone viral on social media, Gurjar is heard instructing police to “shoot” a shopkeeper if he tries to flee, after spotting a chicken cage near one of the establishments. He was also seen forcibly handing over a shopkeeper to the authorities.
The incident has triggered widespread condemnation and fear among the local Muslim community, especially as it occurred just days before Eid al-Azha, a major Muslim festival involving animal sacrifice.
Earlier, Gurjar had written to the Ghaziabad District Commissioner, raising concerns about meat slaughter in Loni, which he claimed could attract birds and pose a threat to flights from the nearby Hindon Airport. Citing the example of a past Air India crash, he warned that such activities could endanger Indian Air Force operations and labeled them a threat to national security.
In his letter, Gurjar further alleged that some Muslims slaughter cows during Eid to “spoil the atmosphere,” and controversially suggested that Muslims should instead celebrate the festival by cutting cakes shaped like goats. He claimed a municipal survey confirmed Loni falls under an Air Force ordinance zone that prohibits meat-related activities, and asserted that violations of this rule amount to “treason.”
He also stated that BJP workers would monitor the area using drones to ensure compliance.
Responding to the incident, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Bhanu Bhaskar Joshi condemned Gurjar’s remarks as “unacceptable and inciteful,” calling it a violation of human rights and an example of growing intolerance. “Which law permits an MLA to order police to shoot a shopkeeper? This is not governance, it’s intimidation,” Joshi said.
