A video of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sonali Phogat purportedly assaulting an official with her shoe in Haryana was widely shared on social media on Friday, NDTV reported. Phogat, a TikTok star-turned-BJP leader, was seen hitting Balsamand Market Committee Secretary Sultan Singh.
The incident took place on Friday when Phogat was inspecting the farmers’ market. Phogat can be heard accusing Singh of abusing and misbehaving with her. “Am I working to hear abuses from people like you,” she is heard saying. “Do I not have the right to a dignified life. You have no right to live...”
Meanwhile, Singh is seen pleading with Phogat and saying that he had noted her complaints and would address them. She then tells the police personnel present at the spot that Singh used “indecent language” while talking to her. She also asks them to file a complaint against the market committee’s secretary.
Addressing a press conference later, the BJP leader said she thrashed the market committee official after he made derogatory remarks against her, Hindustan Times reported. “I visited Balsamand mandi along with a few farmers and the Hisar market committee secretary Sultan Singh to inspect the arrangements for starting gram procurement there,” Phogat said. “Sultan told me that I am a charming lady and I should not be roaming in the mandis for farmers. I tried to control my anger but his words pinched me so I thrashed him. He sought unconditional apology from me. Now, I have filed a complaint against Sultan Singh.”
Meanwhile, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala asked Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to take action against her. “Khattar government’s nauseating deeds,” he tweeted. “Adampur, Hisar’s BJP leader is beating market committee secretary like an animal. Is being a government worker a crime? Will Khattar sahab take action? Will media remain silent?”
Hisar Deputy Commissioner (Law and Order) Joginder Sharma said they received complaints from both Phogat and Singh. “We are verifying the facts,” he told Hindustan Times. “Strict action will be taken. Sonali Phogat has alleged that the official made derogatory remarks against her and tried to assault her.”
Singh, in his complaint, said officials were not ready to initiate procurement due to lack of arrangements at the market. “After talking for 15 minutes, she started abusing me for not starting the procurement process,” he said. “She even accused me of not helping her during the Assembly election. When I told her that I belong to Narwana [constituency] and have no connection with Adampur, she started thrashing me.”
Phogat had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Haryana Assembly election from Adampur and lost to Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi. While campaigning, she had raked up a controversy by asking some people at an election rally whether they had come from Pakistan. According to Phogat, these were the people who did not join her in chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai”. The incident took place on October 7.
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