Union Minister Giriraj Singh, who was in Ballia in Bihar’s Begusarai, was allegedly attacked at an event on Saturday. BJP leader was conducting a Janata Darbar programme in his home constituency at the time of the incident.
The accused was beaten up by the MP’s supporters, before they handed him over to the police. The accused, who the BJP MP said was dressed up as a Moulvi, had come to the Janta Darbar with a petition.
Addressing the media, the BJP MP said, “The bearded person dressed like a Moulvi came to me with a petition and asked me to look into it.”
Singh told the media that he informed the man that the programme was over, and he should have come on time for his petition to be heard.
“He then started shouting slogans against me. At one point of time, it appeared that he would physically attack me,” he said.
The Minister also claimed that the person was not talking in an appropriate manner.
“He was overpowered by the people who had gathered there. He was handed over to the police later,” he said.
“The person is in the custody of the police. We are investigating the matter,” news agency PTI quoted Begusarai Superintendent of Police Maneesh as saying.
Later, in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Singh said he is not going to be scared by such attacks.
In an apparent reference to Muslims, the MP said, “Those who pamper these people on seeing their beard and cap, must see how love jihad and communal tension is being created in the entire country as well as in Begusarai.”
Talking to news agency ANI, Giriraj Singh highlighted the attitude of Muslims towards him in Begusarai, and said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may be right in saying ‘if you divide, you will be divided’.
“If this man had a revolver in his hand, he would have killed me the way he attacked. He used very abusive language… I will continue my work, I will not deviate from my goal, I will not be afraid of anyone’s threat, I will continue my campaign,” the MP said.
“No matter how many people who spread terror come, it will not affect me… Muslims protested so much in my area, the result of which is that they got so much courage that when I was in the public court, despite the presence of all the SDOs, DSPs, he behaved so rudely,” he added.