BJP MP Hema Malini after the accident in Rajasthan in which a 2-year-old was killed
Actor-politician Hema Malini made a "brutal mistake," union minister Babul Supriyo said on Wednesday. This is first time the BJP lawmaker has been openly criticized by a leader of her own party after the accident last week involving her Mercedes car, in which a two-year-old girl was killed.
Mr Supriyo's comments came on a day Hema Malini provoked sharp criticism for tweets in which she blamed the father of the child, who was driving a Maruti Alto, for violating traffic rules. In response, the father, Harsh Khandelwal, said his daughter could have been saved if the politician had helped her and taken her to hospital.
"It was a brutal error on part of everyone who was there on the scene, the accident scene, including Hemaji, to have left the child back there on the road. That's a brutal mistake. Let's accept that," Mr Supriyo told NDTV. He was also critical of the girl sitting on her mother's lap in the front seat, which he said, put her at risk.
Hema Malini, 66, has been attacked by critics for leaving the accident site in Dausa without reaching out to the family or offering help. The MP from Mathura, who was injured in her forehead, was driven away soon after the crash and taken to a private hospital. The Khandelwals allegedly had to wait. By the time they were taken to a government hospital, their youngest, Chinni, had died.
Yesterday, Hema Malini tweeted: "My heart goes out to the child who unnecessarily lost her life and the family members who have been injured in the accident. How I wish the girl's father had followed the traffic rules - thn this accident could have been averted & the lil one's life safe!"
Mr Khandelwal said it was Hema Malini's Mercedes that had been speeding at 150, and asserted that he had followed all rules.
"My daughter was flung on the road according to eye witnesses. She could have helped my child at least. Anyone could have taken pity on a two-year-old child, she could have taken my daughter with her," said Mr Khandelwal, who is still in hospital with a fractured leg.