NEW DELHI: The Delhi BJP on Sunday expressed regret over the Tilak Nagar incident in which PWD Minister Parvesh Verma was seen slapping a man during a road inspection, but defended the minister by claiming that the man, identified as Saheb Singh, was a “habitual offender” and had earlier been arrested for assaulting an MCD employee.The party also accused AAP MLA Jarnail Singh of bringing around 50 supporters to the inspection and “provoking” Verma.In a statement, BJP media head Praveen Shankar Kapoor said the incident was wrong and that Verma had admitted as much, but questioned the circumstances that led to the confrontation.“What happened in Vikaspuri was wrong, and the PWD minister has also admitted it. We all regret it. But MLA Jarnail Singh should explain why, despite being informed in advance by the minister, he arrived 45 minutes late and why he came with a crowd?” Kapoor asked.
BJP claims Saheb Singh had been arrested earlier
The BJP alleged that Saheb Singh, who was seen being slapped in the video, is a “habitual offender” and that a case of assaulting an MCD employee had earlier been registered against him, following which he was arrested.The party’s claims about Saheb Singh were made while responding to the video of the incident and the allegations levelled against Verma.Earlier, Verma had claimed that Saheb Singh, whom he identified as an aide of Jarnail Singh, had abused his family while he was inspecting road work.
BJP says Jarnail Singh brought 50 workers
Kapoor alleged that Jarnail Singh had been raising complaints against the contractor responsible for road work in the Vikaspuri area since the previous week and had been pressuring officials to arrange a meeting with Verma.“When the contractor did not meet the MLA, he started putting pressure through videos on social media. This came to the notice of the PWD Minister, following which he decided to conduct an administrative inspection of the site,” he said.Kapoor said Verma had called Jarnail Singh while travelling towards Vikaspuri and asked him to meet at the site.“While proceeding towards Vikaspuri, the PWD minister, as a matter of propriety, called AAP MLA Jarnail Singh and requested him to meet at the site. The MLA arrived with around 50 AAP workers and started behaving in an indecent and uncivilised manner,” Kapoor claimed.He said Verma “chose the democratic approach” by meeting the MLA and finding a solution to the issue.“Instead, MLA Jarnail Singh, displaying an uncivilised form of political conduct, inappropriately spoke to the PWD Minister and also got his accompanying workers to behave similarly,” Kapoor alleged.
BJP invokes earlier incidents, attacks AAP
Kapoor also alleged that the way Jarnail Singh “deliberately provoked” Verma reminded him of what he described as a similar “conspiracy” involving AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, the then Delhi chief secretary and an AAP MP.
Verma responds to Rahul Gandhi
The row also drew a response from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who criticised Verma over the slapping incident.“A BJP minister from the Delhi government is seen slapping a young man in a video. His crime? He was making a video. A road was being dug up right in front of the minister, and he had a camera in his hand. This is the face of a power that no longer fears the voters,” the Lok Sabha leader of the opposition said on X.Responding to Gandhi’s post, Verma said, “Rahul ji, aap rehne do bhai, aapko kuch nhi pata (Rahul ji, you just stay out of it, bro, you don’t know a thing).”The incident followed a video shared by AAP leaders showing Verma pulling down Saheb Singh’s mobile phone and appearing to slap him during the road inspection in Tilak Nagar. Saheb has said he was at the spot after the PWD department called the team to inspect the road and has alleged that Verma raised his hand against him.(With PTI inputs)
