WATCH: Delhi minister Parvesh Verma appears to 'slap' man during road inspection
Altercation follows dispute over quality of newly constructed road; Verma says AAP workers abused his family and regrets what happened
Delhi PWD minister Parvesh Verma was seen in a video appearing to slap a man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar
The incident followed an argument over the quality of a newly constructed road, according to AAP leaders
Verma said AAP workers had abused his family and that the viral video did not show the full context; the man has said he was recording the inspection and denied abusing Verma
Delhi Public Works Department minister Parvesh Verma was seen appearing to slap a man during a road inspection in west Delhi’s Tilak Nagar on Sunday, after an argument broke out over the quality of a newly constructed road.
A video of the incident, shared by AAP leaders, shows Verma pulling down the mobile phone of a man who was recording the proceedings before appearing to slap him across the face. A security guard then intervened as the man confronted the minister.
The confrontation took place while Verma was inspecting road construction work in the area. AAP MLA Jarnail Singh and his supporters were present and questioned the quality of the newly laid road, claiming that its surface was coming off. Singh also demonstrated this by pulling up a portion of the road surface, according to reports.
The man seen in the video was identified as Saheb Singh, who said he handles social media activities for the local MLA.
He said he had been at the site after the PWD called them to inspect the road and that he was recording the proceedings.
Singh denied abusing the minister and alleged that Verma’s associates threatened him after the incident.
Verma subsequently said the video being circulated did not show the full context. In a post on X, he alleged that AAP workers at the site had abused his family, prompting his reaction. He also alleged that Jarnail Singh had been pressuring PWD engineers to introduce him to the contractor and arrange a commission.
“I reacted in the heat of the moment. What happened should not have happened,” Verma said while explaining the incident.
AAP leaders condemned the incident. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal shared the video and called for Verma’s arrest, while saying he would visit the road site to inspect it himself.
Jarnail Singh said he would file a case against Verma and demanded action against the minister. The incident has since triggered a political dispute between the BJP-led Delhi government and the AAP over both the road construction and the altercation.