New Delhi: A man threw a slipper at Independent MP Pappu Yadav during a press conference at his house on Sunday after the lawmaker defended his controversial skit at the Parliament House complex on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, leading to a scuffle between his supporters and the attacker.
Yadav said he would not be intimidated by the “attempt on his life”.
The MP from Bihar’s Purnia was addressing the presser amid a backlash from BJP, Hindu groups and others over his Friday protest, with an FIR being filed in Varanasi against him, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad (Ayodhya) Awadhesh Prasad for allegedly hurting religious sentiments.
While Yadav was addressing the presser, a man questioned him over his actions and alleged that the MP had insulted Lord Ram. He then threw a slipper at Yadav and a scuffle ensued between the Purnia MP’s supporters and the attacker.
According to police sources, the alleged attacker was identified as 34-year-old Sumit, a native of Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, who works in an iron fabrication business in Ghaziabad and has no previous criminal record.
The police source said that another man, identified as Happy, was present in an SUV parked outside Yadav’s residence when the incident occurred.
Investigators are verifying their claims and probing the motive behind the incident.
Sources close to Yadav claimed that two persons were masquerading as journalists, and while one threw a slipper targeting Yadav, a knife was recovered from the other person.
They said the two persons were handed over to the police later.
In their skit during the protest in Parliament, the MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, put money inside donation boxes, while Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, dressed in a saffron outfit, slipped money into his pockets to symbolise the alleged theft at the Ram temple. Seers and Hindu outfits alleged that he had insulted the Sanatan religion.
Before the commotion at the presser, Yadav asserted that he had done no wrong and asked whether saffron is a monopoly of the RSS.
“Saffron is part of our culture. Sanatan is the way of life for us,” Yadav said and claimed that he had protested to protect Sanatan, prompting the alleged attacker to question him.
The man accused Yadav of insulting Lord Ram and threw a slipper at him, before the MP’s supporters restrained the alleged attacker.
Speaking with reporters after the incident, Yadav said, “He attacked me in front of all you people. I was attacked, students were attacked. What is Papu Yadav’s crime? Is it my mistake or that of (former temple trust general secretary) Champat Rai? They have stolen donations.”
“Those who want to kill me can do so; I will not be scared,” Yadav said, adding that the opposition leaders will not be cowed down by FIRs.
A case was filed in Varanasi on Saturday on the complaint of seers against Yadav, Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad (Ayodhya) Awadhesh Prasad, while BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and other leaders filed a police complaint in Delhi.
The BJP on Sunday accused Gandhi and Yadav of hurting Hindu sentiments and demanded that they publicly apologise.
The RSS affiliate Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) also attacked Gandhi and Yadav, alleging that the two leaders insulted Sanatan Dharma through the protest staged in the Parliament complex.
Tagging a post carrying the video clip of the incident, Congress’ media and publicity department head Pawan Khera slammed the Delhi Police.
“The Delhi Police seems remarkably efficient when it comes to repressing students peacefully demanding their constitutional rights. But when it comes to protecting a vocal Opposition leader – even a sitting Member of Parliament – at his own residence, it suddenly falls short,” he said.
Ever since Anurag Kumar took charge as Delhi’s Police Commissioner, the force’s record has gone from bad to worse, Khera alleged.
