A road inspection in Delhi's Tilak Nagar turned into a political controversy after Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Verma was seen in a video slapping an aide of AAP MLA Jarnail Singh during a heated exchange on Sunday.
The incident took place during an inspection of a newly paved road, where Verma and Jarnail Singh initially appeared to engage in a discussion over the quality of the road. The AAP MLA had earlier raised questions over the construction work and alleged that the road surface was much thinner than the required specification.
During the inspection, Singh demonstrated his concerns by pulling up portions of the freshly laid road. He then showed pieces of asphalt to the minister and questioned the quality of the work. The two continued their exchange before the situation became tense.
The controversy escalated when Singh's aide, Sahib Singh, was recording the interaction on his mobile phone. A video circulating on social media appears to show Verma moving towards the young man, pulling down his phone and then slapping him. Security personnel intervened soon afterwards as people gathered around the two sides.
Sahib Singh later alleged that he was simply recording the inspection for the MLA's social media account and had not provoked the minister. He claimed that Verma took his phone and slapped him while he was livestreaming the proceedings.
Verma has offered a different account of what happened. The Delhi minister alleged that members of the AAP group had abused his family during the incident and said the confrontation happened in a moment of anger. He also accused AAP workers of attempting to obstruct government officials from carrying out their duties.
The dispute has now resulted in police action involving both sides. Delhi Police registered a non-cognisable report (NCR) against Verma over the alleged slapping incident. At the same time, an FIR was registered against AAP MLA Jarnail Singh over allegations of obstructing public servants in the discharge of their duties.
The incident has triggered a wider political exchange between the BJP and AAP. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has called for Verma's arrest, while the minister has defended his conduct by pointing to what he described as provocation by AAP workers.
The road itself has also become part of the political dispute. Singh has alleged that the newly laid surface could be removed by hand and questioned whether the work met the required quality standards. Verma, however, defended the government's work and accused the previous Delhi government of failing to build adequate roads during its tenure.
The controversy has also brought renewed attention to Verma's earlier clashes with government officials. In 2022, he was involved in another dispute during an inspection of a Yamuna ghat ahead of Chhath celebrations. A Delhi Jal Board official had then complained of alleged misbehaviour and obstruction of government work.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta held a meeting with her ministers a day after the incident, with Verma also attending. There has been no public statement from the Chief Minister specifically addressing the controversy.
The Tilak Nagar incident has therefore developed into a broader political dispute involving allegations from both sides, police action and questions over the conduct of public representatives during inspections.
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