The official has not filed a complaint against the Maharashtra MLA who was seen slapping him.
Highlights
- NCP legislator Suresh Lad seen slapping deputy collector Abhay Kalgudkar
- Argument reportedly was triggered over compensation offered for land
- No complaint filed by official, legislator denied incident on Tuesday
A lawmaker in Maharashtra is seen on camera holding a bureaucrat by his collar and slapping him at a meeting.
On Thursday, Suresh Lad, a lawmaker of senior politician Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), was attending a meeting called by Deputy Collector Abhay Kalgudkar in the Raigad district to settle disputes on the purchase of farm land by the government for an oil pipeline.
Mr Lad had gone along with a group of farmers as one of the owners to be compensated for their land being acquired.
A fight erupted reportedly over the compensation, which many land owners including Mr Lad said was too little.
The argument reportedly was triggered over compensation offered for land.
In the middle of the argument, the lawmaker was seen grabbing Mr Kalgudkar and another officer by their shirts and then slapping the Deputy Collector.
The officer has not filed any complaint against the politician.
As the video surfaced this week, Mr Lad called a press conference to deny the incident.
On Monday, a minister in Odisha, Jogendra Behera, was filmed in an act of "VIP" arrogance; he was seen allowing his personal security officer to strap his shoes after unfurling the flag at an Independence Day function.
He first said "I am a VIP". Facing a bigger backlash, he amended his statement and claimed that he "couldn't bend because of pain" and was offered help by the security officer "who is like my son".