New Delhi [India], September 28 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said he would visit Tilak Nagar later in the day over the alleged slapping of a youth by Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma during a road inspection, and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against the minister and officials responsible for the road construction.
Reacting to a video purportedly showing Verma slapping Saheb Singh, who is associated with AAP MLA Jarnail Singh's team, Kejriwal said, “I am heading to Tilak Nagar at 4:30 pm regarding this matter. The road they (Delhi government) constructed there was already falling apart, crumbling, as everyone saw in videos yesterday. Meanwhile, one of their ministers actually slapped a young man."
Taking a jibe at PM Modi's recent 'Bhajan clubbing' event and outreach to Gen Z, Kejriwal said the alleged incident contradicted such efforts.
“On one hand, the Prime Minister is trying to woo Gen Z, making Reels and attending 'bhajan clubbing' events, while on the other, his own minister slaps someone, and the Prime Minister takes no action. Gen Z isn't going to side with him like that,” he said.
Kejriwal urged the Prime Minister to arrest Verma and the engineers involved in constructing the road.
“I urge the Prime Minister to arrest this minister and all the engineers responsible for building that road. He won't even need to make Reels or go to 'bhajan clubbing' events; Gen Z will naturally come on board with him,” he said.
The remarks came amid allegations that Verma slapped youth Sahib Singh during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar after Singh questioned the condition of a stretch of the Outer Ring Road and was livestreaming the proceedings.
Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also criticised the BJP-RSS over the alleged slapping incident and other instances of police action against protesters.
On Monday, advocate Mankan Deep Singh Bammi, representing Singh, alleged that Verma assaulted his client after Singh raised questions over alleged corruption in road construction.
“Delhi's PWD Minister Parvesh Verma raised his hand and slapped Sahib Singh just because he asked about the corruption in road construction,” Bammi told ANI.
Bammi further alleged that Verma arrived at the spot after Singh's video on the road condition gained attention and called AAP MLA Jarnail Singh to the location. He alleged that Verma then slapped Singh while he was livestreaming the proceedings and that others accompanying the minister pushed and kicked him.
Bammi also alleged that he called the PCR at Vikas Puri police station, but the police did not immediately register an FIR or record a statement.
Singh, speaking to ANI, alleged that Verma “could not handle” the poor condition of the road and assaulted him.
“Parvesh Verma had no idea he would be exposed. He did not expect the reality of the road to come to light. At that moment, the MLA picked up a piece of the road, and it crumbled in his hand like a 'papad'... he couldn't handle it. He snatched my phone, twisted my arm, and slapped me,” Singh alleged.
“Can no one even ask a question these days? What are the youth of the country supposed to do?” he said.
AAP leaders had staged a protest on Sunday demanding registration of an FIR against Verma. Delhi Police detained AAP Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj, AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar and other party workers during the demonstration.
Verma, however, denied the allegations and claimed that AAP workers abused his family and misbehaved with them. In a video statement on X, he alleged that supporters of Jarnail Singh verbally abused his family.
Verma also alleged that the AAP MLA demanded commissions from officials involved in road projects and said that any attempt to obstruct government work or damage property would not be tolerated.
He further claimed that an official complaint and an FIR had already been registered against the MLA and his associates over alleged obstruction of public works. (ANI)
"PM making reels, attending ‘bhajan clubbing’, minister slaps youth”: Kejriwal urges action against Verma over slapping row
