New Delhi, Sept. 27 -- A road inspection by Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar on Sunday turned contentious after a video surfaced purportedly showing him slapping a man during an argument at the site.
The footage, circulated by AAP leaders, shows Verma approaching a man identified as Saheb, pulling down his mobile phone with one hand and appearing to slap him with the other. A security guard is then seen intervening as the two appear to confront each other. Several people were present at the spot.
Saheb, who works on social media activities for Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh, alleged that he had pointed out portions of the road where the surface was coming off during the inspection. He claimed the minister reacted by hitting him and alleged that people accompanying Verma also threatened him.
"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," Saheb alleged.
He said police personnel were present at the site and demanded action against the minister. "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," he said.
Jarnail Singh also shared the video and alleged that the incident occurred after he raised concerns over the condition of the road during the inspection. He claimed portions of the newly laid surface were coming off and alleged that the police helped the minister leave the spot. Singh said he had contacted the emergency response number 112 and demanded action against Verma. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also shared the video and called for the minister's arrest.
Verma, responding to the allegations, said the video being circulated did not show the full context of the incident. He alleged that Singh and his supporters had been interfering with the road work and made allegations regarding pressure on PWD officials and contractors. These allegations could not be independently verified.
Explaining his reaction, Verma said one of the people accompanying Singh had allegedly abused his family. "When one of his workers started hurling abuses at my family, I reacted just as anyone would in the heat of the moment," he said.
The incident has brought the quality of the road work as well as the alleged physical altercation into focus, with the AAP demanding action against Verma and the minister disputing the Opposition's account of the events.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.