Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday criticised the BJP after a video emerged on social media allegedly showing Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh slapping a man during a road inspection. Gandhi said that “vote theft buys not just the result, but the arrogance that follows”. The minister responded by telling Gandhi, “Rahul ji, aap rehne do bhai, aapko kuch nahi pata”.
The incident has sparked a political controversy in Delhi. It took place during an inspection of a newly constructed road in Tilak Nagar, west Delhi. The man who was allegedly slapped later identified himself as Saheb Singh, an associate of AAP MLA Jarnail Singh. Police said he had filed a complaint against the minister at the Vikaspuri police station.
In a Hindi post on X, Gandhi said a BJP minister in the Delhi government was seen slapping a young man in the video, apparently because he was recording the proceedings. He pointed out that a road was being dug up in front of the minister while the man was holding a camera.
Gandhi described the incident as an example of a government that no longer fears voters. He said that questioning authorities on the streets results in a slap, raising concerns about paper leaks can lead to a lathi charge, and asking questions in Parliament can result in the microphone being switched off. He alleged that such behaviour stems from the belief that elections can no longer remove those in power. Gandhi further said that “vote theft” brings not only electoral victory but also the arrogance that comes with it, allowing a government to demand silence and “andhbhakti” instead of seeking public consent.
The controversy began when Parvesh Sahib Singh visited the location after receiving complaints about the quality of the road construction. During the inspection, AAP MLA Jarnail Singh questioned the standard of the work and reportedly pulled up sections of the road surface with his hands. A man nearby was recording the proceedings when the minister allegedly slapped him.
Parvesh Singh, however, claimed that the video circulated by the Aam Aadmi Party did not show the complete context. In a video shared by the Delhi BJP on X, he said Jarnail Singh had complained about poor road construction and that he asked the AAP MLA to accompany him to the site. He alleged that Jarnail Singh subsequently brought AAP workers to the location, who abused him and his family, prompting him to react in anger.
The minister said that when an AAP worker allegedly abused his family, he reacted as any person might after becoming angry. He also accused Jarnail Singh of demanding a commission in connection with the road repair work and said that an FIR would be filed in the matter.
Saheb Singh, the man seen in the video, said he managed Jarnail Singh’s social media activities and was recording the inspection when the incident occurred. He claimed that while he was filming, Parvesh Singh took his phone and raised his hand at him, an act he said was clearly visible in the footage. Singh further alleged that the minister’s security personnel restrained him, grabbed him by the neck and pulled him away.
The incident has since escalated into a political exchange, with Gandhi criticising the BJP while Parvesh Singh defended his conduct and blamed the AAP MLA and his supporters.
