New Delhi: A video of an MCD employee being beaten up over keeping a public toiled locked is going viral on social media. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kuldeep Kumar alleged that the on-duty MCD employee was thrashed by BJP MLA Abhay Verma from Laxmi Nagar.
On the other hand, NDTV reports that Verma has distanced himself from the controversy saying that he only questioned the MCD employee over the locked public toilet and that the fight did not happen in his presence.
Watch video here:
Verma's side of the story
Verma said he had received complaints over the public toilet when he went to the area after which he approached the MCD worker who abused him. Verma has also alleged that the locals had informed him that the toilet was being used to store liquor.
AAP's Kumar tweeted and wrote, "BJP has converted politics into politics of hatred. MLA from Laxmi Nagar @abhayvermabjp misbehaved and manhandled an on duty employee of MCD. Now we have to take action together against this hooliganism of BJP."
The video has not been independently verified by Free Press Journal.
MCD polls defeat of BJP
After being defeated in the civic body election, it is now "venting out its frustration" by targeting AAP, he said.
No immediate reaction was available from Verma or Delhi BJP over AAP's allegations.
"Laxmi Nagar MLA Abhay Verma had asked the sanitation worker for the keys to a room adjacent to a public toilet. Since the worker couldn't give the keys, he was slapped by the BJP MLA," Kumar alleged.
"The BJP has stooped so low that they are now venting out the frustration of being defeated in the MCD election, on the sanitation workers," he said.
Senior AAP leader Rakhi Birla said they will write to the Delhi Police commissioner for the "safety" of the sanitation workers in the national capital and also approach the local police to demand an FIR against Verma in the matter.
"BJP's actions reflect their mindset that the party has always been anti-Dalit and only views them as a 'vote-bank' factor. We strongly criticise this act of Abhay Verma and we will also write to the Delhi police commissioner for the safety of the sanitation workers here. No matter what the situation is, a political leader can't get violent with anyone. This is unacceptable," Birla said.
(with PTI inputs)
