NEW DELHI: The AAP on Thursday alleged that BJP MLA Abhay Verma has abused and slapped a sanitation worker in the national capital. Releasing a purported video of Verma, AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar alleged that the BJP, which was in power in the MCD earlier, had “halted the salaries of the sanitation workers”.
“In this video, a BJP leader, Abhay Verma, who is the MLA from Laxmi Nagar, can be seen beating up a safai karamchari along with his men and also abusing him very badly. He has used words, which we cannot say to the media present here. That’s how vulgar his language is in this video. Also, in the video you can see how ruthlessly Verma is beating up a safai karamchari. This is the true face of this MLA and of the BJP,” Kumar said.
“It is clear that the BJP is an anti-Dalit party. The saffron party is rattled with its defeat in MCD and is venting out its anger on the sanitation workers of the underprivileged sections of society. It is clearly visible in the video that Abhay Verma is slapping the worker, abusing his mother,” he said.
Kumar said that it is very unfortunate that the BJP, which still has not recovered from the shock of the MCD loss, is now taking its revenge against the safai karamcharis. Most of these people come from marginalised communities and are not very well off. The BJP did not pay their salaries on time during its 15-year tenure and did not clear their arrears. Now they have reached a point where they are attacking the safai karamcharis.
Senior AAP leader Rakhi Birla said they will meet Delhi Police and ask them to provide security to the safai karamcharis in the city. If there are attacks against our daughters and safai karamcharis in Delhi, who is to be held responsible? The Delhi Police need to ensure their safety.
“We will ask the police to file an FIR against all the people involved in this incident. Members of AAP will also meet the safai karamcharis and ensure that they are safe from the leaders of the saffron party. We will also hold a demonstration in front of Verma’s house,” Birla said.
MCD writes to Delhi Police, seeks action
The MCD on Thursday registered a complaint with Delhi Police against “unidentified goons having close association” with BJP MLA Abhay Verma for allegedly assaulting a sanitation worker in east Delhi. In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) requested stringent action against the perpetrators since the matter involved physical assault, threats and public humiliation. However, no FIR has been registered in the matter yet. The civic body has cited a purported video circulating on social media where a few men are seen thrashing and assaulting the MCD employee. “An incident that occurred on 28.12.2022 has come to the notice of the undersigned wherein, a Paryawaran Sahayak named Amit employed with MCD department was beaten up by some unidentified goons having close association with Abhay Verma, MLA, Laxmi Nagar,” the letter read. PTI