Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma is embroiled in yet another controversy as a video of a road inspection work in Tilak Nagar emerges, showing him to be involved in a scuffle with a young man. The incident occurred on 27 September during an inspection of road work in the locality. In the video, shared by AAP leaders, Verma can be seen pulling the mobile phone of the youth and giving him a slap, before he allegedly leaves. The young man, Saheb Singh, stated that he was present to draw attention to the newly constructed road.
The incident has led to a political row between the BJP and AAP with Singh claiming that he has already complained to the police and that Verma’s people have threatened him. Verma has, however, offered a different version of events. He has stated that the now-viral video does not show the entire story and accused those who accompanied Tilak Nagar MLA Jarnail Singh of threatening his family. He claimed that he had acted “in the heat of the moment” and made allegations about the roadwork and the misbehavior of local AAP representatives. Police are investigating the allegations and the complaint.
The latest controversy has reignited allegations against Verma, who during the 2020 Delhi Assembly election campaign made disparaging remarks about the Shaheen Bagh protests. The Election Commission later removed him from the BJP’s list of star campaigners. The minister was once again accused of being divisive when, earlier this year, he called for a “total boycott” at a Hindu gathering following a recent killing. Although Verma claimed that he meant people associated with such crimes committed, his detractors claimed that his comments were aimed at a specific community.
The Tilak Nagar episode is the latest controversy in a long line of controversies that have plagued the BJP leader. While AAP leaders demand action against Verma over the alleged slap, BJP leaders are concentrating on the circumstances that led up to the altercation as well as the background of the individual involved. The police complaint and conflicting accounts of the incident are currently being probed, and the latest episode is a developing political and legal issue.