Vitthal Radadiya has been at the centre of several controversies earlier.
Highlights
- Video of Vitthal Radadiya purportedly kicking man at a religious function
- Mr Radadiya seen picking up man's belongings, gesturing that he leave
- Mr Radadiya denies kicking man, says he only asked him to leave the spot
A video showing a BJP lawmaker from Gujarat purportedly kicking an elderly man at a religious function is being widely circulated on social media.
Shot at a function held in Rajkot district's Jamkandorna around a week ago, the video shows Vitthal Radadiya, in his signature white shirt and trousers, approaching an elderly man sitting in a makeshift tent at the function. He is seen kicking the elderly person, who prayed to be spared.
The video also showed Mr Radadiya picking up the man's belongings and gesturing that he leave the spot. NDTV could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage.
Mr Radadiya, who represents Porbandar in the Lok Sabha, has denied kicking the person, insisting that he had only asked him to leave the place. The man, he said, was "trying to spread superstition" at the religious function.
Mr Radadiya had been at the centre of several controversies earlier.
In 2012, a video had gone viral in which he was purportedly seen wielding gun at a toll booth staff at Karjan near Vadodara. When asked for ID proof, the then Congress lawmaker was seen coming out of his car with a rifle in his hand and threatening to kill the toll booth staff.
Besides, there are several police cases registered against him for alleged offences against government officials.