‘Hurled abuses at my family’: Delhi minister Parvesh Verma reveals ‘the truth’ behind viral slap video | Delhi News
NEW DELHI: Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Verma on Sunday responded to a video showing him allegedly slapping a man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar. Verma said he reacted after a worker accompanying local AAP MLA Jarnail Singh allegedly abused his family.In a video shared by Aam Aadmi Party leaders, Verma can be seen pulling down the man’s mobile phone with his left hand before allegedly slapping him across the face with his right hand.Verma later said the video being circulated by the AAP did not show the full context of the incident.He alleged that local MLA Jarnail Singh had been pressuring PWD engineers to introduce him to the contractor and arrange a commission.According to Verma, road construction work had been underway on the Vikaspuri Ring Road for several days. He claimed that Jarnail would visit the site after work was completed at night, damage the newly laid road and record videos alleging corruption.“You should know the truth behind a video currently being circulated by the Aam Aadmi Party. Road construction work has been underway on the Vikaspuri Ring Road for the past several days. The local MLA, Jarnail Singh, had been pressuring PWD engineers to introduce him to the contractor and arrange for a commission for him; he had been making this demand for quite some time, ” Verma said in the video.Verma said he decided to inspect the work himself while passing through the area on Sunday. He claimed that the roadwork was progressing well and that local residents told him the road had not been constructed for around 15 years.The minister said he called Jarnail three times and waited for around 45 minutes for him to arrive. Verma claimed that Jarnail came with his supporters and began behaving rudely.Verma further alleged that one of Jarnail’s workers abused his family, following which he reacted “in the heat of the moment”.“Our engineer has lodged a complaint at the police station and is getting an FIR registered,” Verma said, referring to the alleged dispute over the roadwork.He also accused the AAP of objecting to the Delhi government’s work and said, “Our government is doing today what you failed to accomplish; that is why it is causing you such heartburn.”The video shared by AAP leaders shows Verma confronting the man during the road inspection before the alleged slap.(With agency inputs)
