Two days after posting a picture eating beef, historian and writer Ramachandra Guha allegedly received threatening phone calls. Guha immediately informed the Bengaluru Police about the threats. However, he is yet to file a formal complaint.
The Halasur Police, who received intimation of the threats from DCP (Central) Chandragupta, stationed two police constables outside his residence. In a tweet on Friday, Ramachandra Guha had said, "After a magical morning in Old Goa, we had lunch in Panaji, where — since it is a BJP-ruled state — I decided to eat beef in celebration."
Soon after, Guha was targeted by right-wing trolls. "I have received threatening calls from a man calling himself Sanjay from Delhi. His number is +91-9........8. He threatened my wife as well as me. This is for the record," Guha tweeted on Sunday.
I have received threatening calls from a man calling himself Sanjay from Delhi. His number is +91-98351-38678. He threatened my wife as well as me. This is for the record.
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) December 9, 2018
Guha also said that a former official of the Research and Analysis Wing had also threatened him. He retweeted RK Yadav saying, "This threatening tweet below is from a former official of the Research and Analysis Wing. I would like to place it on record, and will do with every subsequent threat received."
This threatening tweet below is from a former official of the Research and Analysis Wing. I would like to place it on record, and will do with every subsequent threat received. https://t.co/MrG7AVL15U
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) December 9, 2018
Guha also conceded that his post was in bad taste and redacted it after the threatening calls. "I have deleted the photo of my lunch in Goa as it was in poor taste. I do wish however to again highlight the absolute hypocrisy of the BJP in the matter of beef, and to reiterate my own belief that humans must have the right to eat, dress, and fall in love as they choose."
I have deleted the photo of my lunch in Goa as it was in poor taste. I do wish however to again highlight the absolute hypocrisy of the BJP in the matter of beef, and to reiterate my own belief that humans must have the right to eat, dress, and fall in love as they choose.
— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) December 9, 2018
However, screenshots of his tweets have been retweeted multiple times.
According to the police, Guha informed the DCP of the threatening calls as his name was also mentioned in hit list of Amol Kale, the alleged mastermind of Gauri Lankesh's murder. Amol Kale's diary allegedly had 36 names of writers, rationalists and progressive thinkers, whom he had allegedly decided to kill.