In the political arena of Agra, the Rashtriya Soshit Samaj Party (RSSP) candidate hailing from the Fatehpur Sikri Lok Sabha constituency, Hotam Singh Nishad, has stirred controversy by offering a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for the perpetrator who hurled a shoe at the party’s national president, Swami Prasad Maurya, during a recent campaign rally.

Nishad boldly extended this reward not only for the individual responsible for the shoe-throwing incident but also for those involved in other forms of protest, such as hurling ink or displaying black flags towards Maurya’s procession. His proclamation, captured in a widely circulated video on social media, has ignited fervent debate within the region.

However, Nishad’s outspoken stance has met with swift condemnation from groups like the Yogi Youth Brigade and the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha. They have vehemently opposed his remarks and threatened legal action, signaling their intent to lodge complaints with both the authorities and the Election Commission against Nishad. Kunwar Ajay Tomar, the state president of the Yogi Youth Brigade, has emphasized their demand for heightened security from the Agra Police and called for decisive measures against Nishad.

The incident in question transpired on May 3 when Swami Prasad Maurya, the national president of the RSSP, was in Agra to bolster Nishad’s electoral campaign. At Fatehabad Tiraha, members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha disrupted his convoy, brandishing black flags and splattering ink on Maurya’s vehicle. Despite these disruptions, law enforcement managed to restore order.

Subsequently, during a public address in Pentikheda near Dauki, an individual purportedly affiliated with the Yogi Youth Brigade flung a shoe towards Maurya, narrowly missing him. This incident catalyzed Nishad’s controversial declaration, captured in a six-minute video, wherein he decried such actions as affronts to the OBC community.

In response, Kunwar Ajay Kumar Tomar, representing the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha and serving as the state president of the Yogi Youth Brigade, criticized Nishad’s remarks. He attributed the demonstrations of dissent—manifested through black flags, ink, and shoe-throwing—as reactions to perceived attacks on Hindu deities and revered texts like the Ramcharit Manas.