Asha Kumari tried to push her way in and reach the gates of the Congress headquarters.
Highlights
- Congress legislator Asha Kumari tried to force her way into a party meet
- When she was stopped by the police, she slapped a woman constable
- The constable slapped the former cabinet minister back
A Congress legislator in Himachal Pradesh, Asha Kumari, is seen on camera slapping a woman constable in Shimla - and getting two right back. Ms Kumar, the niece of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, was allegedly trying to force her way into a review meeting held by party chief Rahul Gandhi to assess the Congress's poll performance.
Ms Kumari, 57, is seen in the video being stopped by the police as she tries to push her way in and reach the closed gates of the Congress headquarters in Shimla. When the constable stops her, the politician is seen slapping her. The constable wastes no time and slaps her back, twice.
At the time, Rahul Gandhi was inside the office, meeting party legislators, defeated party candidates and local leaders to discuss the defeat of the Congress, which lost power to the BJP after being reduced to just 21 seats in the 68-member assembly.
Ms Kumari apologised later. "She(police constable) abused me and pushed me, she should have shown restrain. I am her mother's age, but yes I agree I should not have lost my temper. I apologise." She said Rahul Gandhi condemned the incident. "Our national president says such incidents should not happen."
Asha Kumari was a minister in her uncle Virbhadra Singh's cabinet between 2003 and 2005. (File)
Ms Kumari retained her Dalhousie seat in the election. She is also the Punjab Congress in-charge. She was a minister in her uncle Virbhadra Singh's cabinet between 2003 and 2005.
In February 2016, the controversial politician was
convicted in a case linked to the grabbing of forest land in Dalhousie and was sentenced to a year in jail. She was released on bail later.