Rahul Gandhi attacked the BJP over a video showing minister Pravesh Sahib Singh slapping a youth, calling it ‘arrogance of power’. He alleged the govt silences dissent. The minister claimed he was provoked by AAP workers hurling abuses.
Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday launched an attack on the ruling BJP in Delhi over the purported video showing Delhi PWD Minister Pravesh Sahib Singh allegedly slapping a young man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar. In a post on X, Gandhi targeted the government’s approach towards public accountability, stating that the incident reflects the arrogance of power. “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,” he wrote.
‘Government Demands Silence and Blind Devotion’
Gandhi alleged that asking questions is met with retaliatory action, stating, “Ask a question on the street – a slap. Ask a question on paper leaks – a lathi charge. Ask a question in Parliament – the mic is switched off.” Linking the incident to broader political accusations of electoral manipulation, the senior Congress leader alleged, “These people do this because they no longer fear that elections can remove them. Vote theft buys this – not just the result, but the arrogance that follows.”
“A government that takes victory for granted doesn’t need your consent – it demands your silence and blind devotion,” the Congress MP said. The remarks come in response to controversy that broke out in the national capital after AAP leaders shared a video showing the Delhi Minister allegedly slapping a local youth during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar.
Congress Alleges Corruption
Congress leader Udit Raj further accused the BJP government of corruption, alleging that potholes appear on roads soon after inauguration. “You may have noticed across the country that whether PM Modi inaugurates a major bridge or highway, or someone else does, potholes appear almost immediately or develop soon after. The situation with Delhi’s roads is similar; work is done only superficially, and the surfaces break apart right away. Perhaps Pravesh Verma felt this corruption was being exposed, so in a fit of rage, he resorted to making aggressive gestures,” he said.
Minister Claims Provocation by AAP Workers
Meanwhile, Pravesh Sahib Singh claimed that the AAP workers hurled abuses at his family and misbehaved. In a video statement on X, Singh claimed that AAP MLA Jarnail Singh’s supporters misbehaved and hurled verbal abuses at his family. He also accused the AAP leader of attempting to extort a commission for a road project. (ANI)
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