Delhi: A road inspection in West Delhi turned into a political controversy on Sunday after Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma was seen allegedly slapping a man who was recording the proceedings on his mobile phone.
The incident took place in the Vikas Puri area, where AAP MLA Jarnail Singh and his party workers were showing the minister a newly constructed road. The AAP workers raised concerns over the quality of the road, claiming that the newly laid surface was already breaking apart and pieces were coming off in their hands.
A video of the incident has also surfaced. In the video, Verma can be seen walking along the road with his security personnel while a man in a black T-shirt records the inspection. As the man moves closer to the minister, Verma appears to push down his mobile phone and then slap him.
AAP workers then took the man away from Verma and protested against the incident. Police personnel present at the spot intervened and separated workers from both sides.
The man, identified as 22-year-old Sahib Singh, later said that he was part of Jarnail Singh’s social media team and was livestreaming the minister’s inspection on the MLA’s directions. He denied abusing the minister and said he had submitted a written complaint to the local police, demanding an FIR and action against Verma.
Verma, however, gave a different account of the incident. In a video statement, he said that people accompanying Jarnail Singh had made disrespectful comments and that one of the workers had abused his family.
Verma also claimed that the road work was being carried out properly when he inspected it. He said he had called Jarnail Singh and waited for around 45 minutes before the MLA arrived with his party workers.
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The minister said that what happened should not have happened, but claimed that he lost his temper after being provoked.
Jarnail Singh has rejected Verma’s version and said he would register a case against the minister over the incident. He also demanded action against Verma from the BJP-led Delhi government.
The controversy has also brought the condition of the newly constructed road into focus. Jarnail Singh had earlier raised questions about the quality of the road and demanded that work orders and quality checks be made available.
The incident has now turned a road inspection into a political dispute, with both sides giving different accounts of what led to the confrontation.
As police look into the complaint and the claims made by both sides, the video of the incident continues to draw attention online.
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