Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday (September 28, 2026) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of committing “violence” against the people after a video showing Delhi Public Works Department Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh slapping a man during a road inspection went viral on social media.

“When the arrogance of power reaches its peak, oppression and humiliation of the people become a habit. The BJP-RSS [Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] folks aren’t just crushing democracy with policies; now they’re directly assaulting the people with raised batons and sticks,” Mr. Kharge said in a post on social media platform X.

The BJP-RSS was responding to questions from people with force, he alleged. “ED-CBI [Enforcement Directorate-Central Bureau of Investigation] on the Opposition, Slaps, Batons and Bullets on the People! Modi ji’s BJP has become so rattled by people’s questions that even abusive terms like ‘naraaz phoopha’, ‘dimagi naxal’ and ‘andolanjeevi’ now feel stale. The dictator BJP-RSS is now openly resorting to violence. Delhi’s ministers are slapping youth. Under Amit Shah’s watch, youth were baton-charged at Jantar Mantar. Before that, a minister’s son ran over farmers with his car. A central minister said, ‘goli maro’,” Mr. Kharge said.

Mr. Kharge also referred to the farmers’ protests and the 2016 incident in Una, Gujarat. “Rubber bullets were fired in the farmers’ movement, and 750 farmers lost their lives,” he said, adding, “In Una, Gujarat, Dalits were beaten up, but justice hasn’t been served even now.”

The Congress chief’s remarks came a day after the video of Mr. Parvesh Singh allegedly slapping a man during an inspection of a newly laid road in West Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area was circulated on social media.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jarnail Singh, who was present during the inspection, questioned the quality of the road and pulled out portions of its surface by hand. The man who was recording the proceedings was then allegedly slapped by the Minister.

Mr. Parvesh Singh, however, said the incident had been presented without context. He alleged that the man had abused his family members and accused Mr. Jarnail Singh of seeking a commission from the road contractor.

“When his [the AAP MLA’s] worker abused my family, I did what any person would do after getting angry,” the Minister said in a video message posted by the BJP’s Delhi unit on X.

The man, who identified himself as Saheb Singh, said he was associated with Mr. Jarnail Singh and handled the MLA’s social media work.

“I was recording a video of the inspection when Parvesh Singh snatched my phone and raised his hand at me, which is clearly visible in the video. His security personnel held my hand, grabbed me by the neck, and pulled me away,” Mr. Saheb Singh said.

Police said Mr. Saheb Singh had lodged a complaint against the Minister at the Vikaspuri police station.

Mr. Parvesh Singh also alleged that the video circulated by the AAP omitted the context of the incident. He accused the AAP MLA of demanding a commission from the road contractor and said a First Information Report would be registered.