New Delhi:
A day after BJP MP Scheduled Castes commission chairman Ram Shankar Katheria's bodyguard was booked for beating up employees of a toll plaza in Agra district of Uttar Pradesh, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a swipe at the ruling government for not taking action against its lawless lawmakers.
"After winning the elections, the BJP leaders instead of serving the people, are beating people. Some high on power thrash officials with a bat while some open fire and beat up toll staff with sticks on being asked for toll fee... Is there any chance of strict action against them?" she tweeted in Hindi.
On Saturday, CCTV footage from the toll booth went viral on the social media in which Katheria's security men were seen beating up a toll employee and firing in the air.
The altercation began when the toll plaza in-charge Anupam Singh insisted on letting the vehicles pass through only one by one, according to the complaint. The security guards of the lawmaker then allegedly started roughing up the employees.
The victim later lodged a complaint against the Etawah MP and his security personnel at Etmadpur Police Station.
Agra's Senior Superintendent of Police Bablu Kumar said an FIR has been registered on the basis of the complaint and they are examining the footage from the CCTV cameras at the toll plaza.
The incident is the latest in a series of alleged attacks on public servants by elected representatives.
In June, BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya's son, MLA Akash Vijayvargiya assaulted a municipal corporation official with a bat to protest against a demolition drive. He was arrested, but released on bail three days later.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the action at a BJP parliamentary party meeting, saying: "Errant leaders have no place in the BJP."
On Thursday, Congress MLA Nitesh Rane was arrested for plastering a civic official with mud after an argument in Maharashtra's Sindhugurg district.
