‘I can break your leg’: Indian minister sparks outrage after threatening man at disability event
An Indian minister is under pressure to resign after telling a man at a differently abled peoples event: “I can break your leg.” His threat prompted the public to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “insensitive” party.
Babul Supriyo, a minister for India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sparked condemnation for his controversial comments at the recent event in West Bengal’s Asansol on Tuesday.
Supriyo, currently minister of state for heavy industries and public enterprises, had been invited to the event to distribute aids to the crowd.
What happened to you? Any problem? I can break one of your legs: Union Minister Babul Supriyo to a man during a program for differently abled people at Nazrul Manch in Asansol #WestBengalpic.twitter.com/cFxpF7K6Pn
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2018
But when a man from the audience reportedly disturbed his address by moving around, Supriyo lost his temper and was caught on camera saying: “What happened to you? Any problem? I can break one of your legs and can give you a crutch,” the minister said.
The singer-turned politician then ordered the man to move aside and told his security personnel to break his leg and give him a crutch if he tried to move again, the Indian Express reports.
A video posted by Asian news agency ANI, which recorded the whole incident, did not go down well with people on social media, with some calling for Supriyo to be given the boot.
#ShameBabulSupriyo this is awful. Politics and serving the people is not your job. Better resign and sing some more for which we really don't care.
— Anik Ghosal (@anikspik) September 19, 2018
Others branded him a “criminal.”
#Jihadi@SuPriyoBabul you are a criminal. Minister ji learn how to behave with public. It is this public who will vote.. SAATTA mein kaun rahega decide karta hai Public
— Satabdi শতাব্দী (@SatabdiBhatta13) September 19, 2018
PM Modi also found himself under fire for appointing “goons”to the cabinet.
Many took the incident as an opportunity to have a go at the government, where insensitivity, they said, reigns at all levels.
Arrogance n insensitivity runs from PM to ministers
— Indian ahmed (@aqs101) September 18, 2018
Some even alleged that the incident is a sign of the government losing power.
Such a arrogance of power. People should teach them hard lesson in 2019
— ˈlɑ̀ːɡɔm👽 (@Lagom_love) September 18, 2018
These politicians will be running for cover aftr 2019.
— Dr. Hareesh Krishnan (@drhareeshkrishn) September 18, 2018
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