Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Parag Shah has defended himself over the viral video showing him slapping an autorickshaw driver in Ghatkopar. The BJP leader said the incident is being shown out of context and claimed that the rickshaw was coming at full speed and nearly ran over a woman. The viral video had also triggered a political stir, with several Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders slamming Shah for his behaviour.
While speaking to IANS, Shah said, "We also informed the rickshaw driver, but he didn’t care, either about me or what was being said, and had no awareness that he was breaking the rules. The passenger was also asked about it and described what happened."
"I wasn’t entirely at fault, but the media is showing one mistake continuously, which is not accurate," Shah claimed.
What Happened In The Viral Video?
In the video, Shah was seen stopping the autorickshaw and slapping the driver. His reaction reportedly came after the driver had violated traffic rules and driven in the wrong direction.
The incident occurred in the Ghatkopar East area, where Shah, along with residents, had joined a protest against illegal hawkers and traffic problems. The details of the protest are also shared on his official Instagram handle, where he wrote, "Strong movement against hawking in Ghatkopar East."
Sena UBT, Congress Slams Shah
The video sparked strong reactions from Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders. The Maharashtra Congress criticised Parag Shah and raised serious questions, asking, “Who gave these MLAs the right to take the law into their own hands?”
Meanwhile, Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said, “Shame on him!” Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad also condemned the incident, stating that BJP MLAs have become increasingly arrogant and are now even mistreating poor autorickshaw drivers.
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
