Union minister and BJP MP from Chhattisgarh, Renuka Singh, has kicked up a row with her purported remarks directed at the state government officials, saying she will "hang" those responsible for meting out injustice to people of her constituency.
In a video that has gone viral, the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs can also be heard saying that she knows "very well how to hit after pulling out a belt in a dark room
The video was shot durng her visit to a quarantine centre in Chhattisgarh's Balrampur district on Saturday.
The minister, who represents Surguja seat, was reportedly angry after a man placed in a quarantine centre was allegedly assaulted by officials when he raised objections over poor arrangements at the facility.
In the video, Singh is seen standing in front of a quarantine centre saying that Balrampur janpad panchayat CEO and tehsildar had assaulted one Dilip (22) in the facility.
The government officials present on the occasion were Balrampur Janpad Panchayat CEO Vinay Gupta and tehsildar Shabab Khan.
"The youth is saying that he was abused and thrashed by the CEO and the tehsildar..If injustice is done to people of my area, I will hang (those who will be responsible)," the minister can be heard saying in the video.
"The entire administration is engaged in covering up the (assault) incident...you decide your own punishment. Such 'dadagiri' will not be tolerated. Don't think that we (BJP) are not in power. We hd ruled here for 15 years..Don't think that these saffron-clad BJP workers are weak. Forget about discriminating against BJP workers by sitting in the district and tehsil offices," she is heard saying in the video.
The minister further said: "I know very well how to hit after pulling out a belt in a dark room".
She also questionned the officials about the "improper" upkeep of quarantine centres "despite the Union government sending enough money".
On Sunday, Singh said the concerned youth had shot a video of the quarantine centre which became viral.
"After that, a tehsildar and Janpad Panchayat CEO, instead of looking into the arrangements at the quarantine centre, thrashed him brutally (on May 16). On the same night, the youth was shifted to another quarantine centre (in Daura village).
"When his father came to know about the incident, he approached me, following which I spoke to officials who denied any such incident had happened," she said.
Singh demanded strict action against officials, saying the youth was being falsely implicated into a case of violation of quarantine protocols.
Slamming Singh, Congress MP Chhaya Verma said that misbehaving with government employees, who are the frontline warriors in the fight against coronavirus, does not behove a Union minister.
"Such language against them by Renuka Singh has exposed the real face and character of the ruling BJP at the Centre," she said.
Meanwhile, the district administration has ordered an inquiry into the alleged assault on the youth.
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