“I warn you… you remember me, right?” Delhi minister Parvesh Verma said on Monday, directly addressing AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to say he will not tolerate the opposition party’s “goons” trying to obstruct the government’s work.
The video message came shortly after Kejriwal said the country’s Gen-Z expects honesty from the government while slamming the BJP for Verma, its PWD minister in Delhi, allegedly slapping a young man recording him inspecting a road in Tilak Nagar.
“That person is not any Gen-Z. He is a goon who has an FIR registered against him for assaulting a MCD official three months back. He was arrested also,” a combative Verma added.
Kejriwal, who had also put out a video on X, demanded action against those responsible for road work if there was any corruption found.
The former Delhi chief minister said a young man present at the site had been slapped and asked how the BJP could expect young people to connect with it when such incidents take place.
This country’s Gen Z expects honesty from you. It expects straightforwardness.”
In his counter message to Kejriwal, Verma said “this Gen-Z drama of yours will not work”.
“If you or your goons, your MLAs in future try to obstruct Delhi government’s works or threaten our officers, contractors then I will not tolerate this. I warn you, you remember me right?” Verma said.
A video of Verma slapping a man was circulated across social media platforms on Sunday. This was after AAP MLA from Tilak Nagar Jarnail Singh, who was present at the spot, pulled out portions of the newly laid road surface by hand and questioned its quality. The young man standing nearby was recording the proceedings when Verma allegedly slapped him.
Kejriwal alleged on Sunday that Verma lost his composure after local residents questioned the quality of the road.
He also claimed that the road constructed in Tilak Nagar was being questioned over its quality and claimed that Delhi Police had been asked to protect the minister.
He said the government did not need to undertake social media activities to connect with young people and should instead focus on issues such as transparency and accountability.
Verma, who has been in the eye of the proverbial storm after the alleged slap episode, added in his message that Jarnail Singh reached the inspection site just as he was peacefully trying to explain the work done by the government.
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, in a post on X, also criticised those defending Verma.
“To all those who are defending violence by Parvesh Verma and defaming a 22-year-old. As per your logic, CM Rekha Gupta was rightly slapped by a dog lover? She has a history of violence, so anyone can slap her and get away?” Bharadwaj questioned.
