Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday pulled down a person's mobile phone and slapped him while he was recording a heated argument between him and Aam Aadmi Party MLA Jarnail Singh.
The video of the incident was shared by Jarnail Singh, who called the person being slapped his colleague.
"This is the BJP government's PWD Minister from Delhi, the capital of India. He had come to inspect the road, but upon seeing scam after scam being exposed, he lost his cool and ended up indulging in thuggery with my colleague who was recording the video."
The video shows Jarnail Singh complaining to Parvesh Verma over the quality of road construction work while the latter was on a ground inspection. Jarnail confronted Verma with a block of road that he tore apart in front of him.
The two leaders could be heard engaging in a verbal spat, with Verma saying, "Galat nahi bolna, 15 saal me AAP sadak nahi bana paye, ab hum bana rahe hain. (Don't lie, you couldn't build roads in 15 years, but now we are building them.)
Singh could be heard arguing, "This one won't last 15 hours." As the argument escalated, Verma started walking away when again a confrontation took place.
Verma then slapped a man who was recording the episode. The man, who identified himself as linked to AAP's social media operations, gets into a fight with Verma, prompting a security guard to intervene and disengage them.
While speaking to ANI, he said, "I handle all social media activities for the MLA. We came here after the PWD department called us to inspect the condition of this road. I showed him how the road surface was breaking apart. When this was pointed out, the Minister couldn't handle it; he raised his hand against me, and his associates threatened to kill me."
Demanding an apology from Verma, he said, "The police were present right there, and all of this happened in their presence. He must apologise, and whatever disciplinary action is required—such as suspension—should be taken... We aren't just making claims; there is video evidence of everything. Action must be taken. We have lodged an FIR and will pursue further action."
Jarnail Singh demands Verma's arrest
"Look at how BJP Minister Parvesh Verma flew into a rage when caught red-handed; he slapped the person recording the incident—acting just like a goon... I thought he would inspect the road, check the quality, and perhaps take action against the PWD officials. He asked me to point out where the road was breaking down. When I showed him how the entire road surface was peeling off like a carpet, instead of taking action, he slapped the person who was recording the incident and fled the scene."
"We have called the emergency number—112—to report this. Shockingly, the SHO of Vikaspuri Police Station was present when this incident occurred, yet he did not apprehend the Minister; in fact, he helped him escape. We will not leave this spot until Minister Parvesh Verma is arrested and an FIR is registered against him," he asserted