Maneka Gandhi Loses Her Cool At UP Official, Finds Herself In Controversy

Uttar Pradesh: Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi was caught on camera reprimanding and allegedly abusing an official during a meeting in Uttar Pradesh. She was chairing a meeting with officials in her Lok Sabha constituency Pilibhit when she received a corruption complaint against an officer and confronted him.

In the video clip, the union minister and animal rights activist, visibly angry, is heard accusing the officer of accepting bribe. She calls him "fat" and allegedly uses a cuss word to rebuke him. NDTV can't verify the authenticity of the video.

She had taken a tour of a town called Baheri the precious day. She was talking to local representatives and the man who was the target of her anger is a supply officer responsible for distributing grains among below poverty line (BPL) scheme beneficiaries. There were a lot of complaints against him which is when she reportedly lost her calm and scolded the officer. She then asks him if it feels good to indulge in corruption.

Later, while speaking to reporters she didn't offer an explanation and said "let him make whatever allegations he wants to make". However, she said that she can't stand exploitation of the poor in her constituency and won't tolerate such things. She said she will demand an inquiry against the officer and will make sure that he gets suspended.

"I am a minister for women and if I will not protect them who will? I don't want to name anybody, but whoever is taking bribes from these women must feel ashamed. They are taking it from the poorest of poor and depriving them of what it their right," she said.