New Delhi:Union agriculture minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar became the latest politician to be the target of physical assault on Thursday afternoon when a small-time transporter from northwest Delhi landed a slap on his face while venting anger at corruption.
The attacker, Harvinder Singh, 27, had on Saturday assaulted former telecom minister Sukh Ram while he was being led away from court. Singh’s family said he had been treated for a mental ailment a few years ago. In a swift reaction, local NCP leaders called for bandhs on Friday at several places in Maharashtra while protests erupted in Mumbai and other cities over the attack on the 71-year-old Maratha strongman.
The assault took place as Pawar briefly interacted with
the media while coming out of a cultural programme at the NDMC Convention Centre near Jantar Mantar around 1.30pm. Singh, who used the Metro to come to the venue from his residence in Vijay Vihar near Rohini, was waiting among journalists for his “moment”. “The minister had just walked out of the auditorium when Singh approached him from the left and slapped him hard on his face. The minister’s PSO (he enjoys Y category security) immediately nabbed him with the help of private security guards and organizers,’’ said a senior Delhi security wing officer who saw the incident.
The sudden blow made Pawar lose his balance for a moment but he regained his composure quickly and walked to his car.
As he was being led away, a charged-up Singh kept shouting, “He is corrupt”. He later told reporters, “I came to the event planning to slap the minister. All of them are corrupt.” Cops said the accused also took out a small kripan (a ceremonial dagger) and branded it before the minister although he never tried to strike with it. He then attempted to slash his
wrist with the weapon. Hurt Pawar mocks Hazare’s ‘Gandhigiri’
Sharad Pawar later said he would not blame any political party for the incident. “I should not go to that level of blaming anyone," he told reporters outside his residence, responding to a question on Congress blaming BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s statement on price rise for the attack on him.
“I would appeal to cadres of NCP that they should not disturb the public and should not take law into their hands. They should maintain peace,” he said.
Asked about Anna Hazare’s comments wondering whether he was slapped only once, Pawar sarcastically said: “It must be some kind of Gandhiism. I too heard about this new Gandhiism.” Asked whether he would press charges against the attacker, he said it was for police to deal with the matter.
Earlier, Pawar’s attacker was taken to the Connaught Place police station. “We have registered a case of hurt, criminal intimidation, assault on a public servant and attempt to suicide. We will produce him at a local court on Friday,’’ said Seju P Kuruvilla, additional DCP (New Delhi).
Even while being led away, the accused threatened to continue the attacks. “Hamla karta rahunga…I want to follow in the footsteps of Bhagat Singh. Today there is only corruption in this country. And yes, I am the same Harvinder who attacked Sukh Ram at the Rohini court complex,’’ Singh was heard shouting.
The attacker, Harvinder Singh, 27, had on Saturday assaulted former telecom minister Sukh Ram while he was being led away from court. Singh’s family said he had been treated for a mental ailment a few years ago. In a swift reaction, local NCP leaders called for bandhs on Friday at several places in Maharashtra while protests erupted in Mumbai and other cities over the attack on the 71-year-old Maratha strongman.
The assault took place as Pawar briefly interacted with
the media while coming out of a cultural programme at the NDMC Convention Centre near Jantar Mantar around 1.30pm. Singh, who used the Metro to come to the venue from his residence in Vijay Vihar near Rohini, was waiting among journalists for his “moment”. “The minister had just walked out of the auditorium when Singh approached him from the left and slapped him hard on his face. The minister’s PSO (he enjoys Y category security) immediately nabbed him with the help of private security guards and organizers,’’ said a senior Delhi security wing officer who saw the incident.
The sudden blow made Pawar lose his balance for a moment but he regained his composure quickly and walked to his car.
As he was being led away, a charged-up Singh kept shouting, “He is corrupt”. He later told reporters, “I came to the event planning to slap the minister. All of them are corrupt.” Cops said the accused also took out a small kripan (a ceremonial dagger) and branded it before the minister although he never tried to strike with it. He then attempted to slash his
wrist with the weapon. Hurt Pawar mocks Hazare’s ‘Gandhigiri’
Sharad Pawar later said he would not blame any political party for the incident. “I should not go to that level of blaming anyone," he told reporters outside his residence, responding to a question on Congress blaming BJP leader Yashwant Sinha’s statement on price rise for the attack on him.
“I would appeal to cadres of NCP that they should not disturb the public and should not take law into their hands. They should maintain peace,” he said.
Asked about Anna Hazare’s comments wondering whether he was slapped only once, Pawar sarcastically said: “It must be some kind of Gandhiism. I too heard about this new Gandhiism.” Asked whether he would press charges against the attacker, he said it was for police to deal with the matter.
Earlier, Pawar’s attacker was taken to the Connaught Place police station. “We have registered a case of hurt, criminal intimidation, assault on a public servant and attempt to suicide. We will produce him at a local court on Friday,’’ said Seju P Kuruvilla, additional DCP (New Delhi).
Even while being led away, the accused threatened to continue the attacks. “Hamla karta rahunga…I want to follow in the footsteps of Bhagat Singh. Today there is only corruption in this country. And yes, I am the same Harvinder who attacked Sukh Ram at the Rohini court complex,’’ Singh was heard shouting.
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