Video screengrab
Credit: PTI Video
Raebareli: Former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya, en route to Fatehpur on Wednesday, was slapped allegedly by a Karni Sena worker.
The incident took place at Saras Crossing, where the Lok Morcha chief had stopped for a brief welcome event organised by local supporters.
According to police, an individual slapped him from behind while pretending to be waiting to garland him.
His supporters immediately caught him and gave him a beating.
Circle Officer (Sadar) Amit Singh told PTI Videos that two people have been taken into custody in connection with the matter.
"In the crowd of the supporters, there were two people who held garlands in their hands and misbehaved with him," Singh said, adding, the two are being questioned.
Meanwhile, a video purported to be of the attack went viral on social media.
Maurya later said the act revealed the kind of patronage Karni Sena gets from those in power.
"The goons of this organisation are wreaking havoc on law and order in the state under the patronage of the ruling regime," he said.
"A few insects from Karni Sena repeatedly trample over the law, but since they belong to the same community as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government remains silent against such mafia elements," Maurya told reporters.
The former Samajwadi Party leader said the Karni Sena was anarchic and had no regard for law and order. "If goons can carry out such attacks in the presence of police, one can only imagine what they are capable of when police are absent." He announced Lok Morcha will contest the 2027 elections with the slogan 'BJP Hatao, UP Bachao' (Remove BJP, Save UP).