Himachal Minister Anirudh Singh denies assaulting NHAI official, calls for probe

India Today

Himachal Pradesh Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh has denied allegations of assaulting National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials and said he is ready for a detailed inquiry.

Transcript

00:00Okay, let's go to one of my other newsmakers tonight.

00:03Anirudh Singh is that minister in the eye of the storm.

00:06Minister of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, Himachal Pradesh.

00:09Appreciate your joining us, Anirudh Singh Ji.

00:12I have read through the FIR.

00:13It clearly says, you, sir, assaulted a National Highways Authority of India official, Achal Jindal,

00:20another official, Yogesh.

00:22You took them into a room.

00:24You closed the door.

00:25You assaulted them.

00:26You threw a water pitcher and they suffered injuries.

00:28How do you respond?

00:30As a minister, these are very, very serious allegations against you, sir.

00:35Sir, in this incident, I would like to say that I will deny all the charges made against me by the said officials.

00:46But what the thing is, you have to go in background also.

00:50All the SDM, all the revenue officials were present out there.

00:54All the forest officials were present out there.

00:58And all the local people who are affected around eight buildings, which are about to fall.

01:07They were also present.

01:08So, no such incident happened.

01:10No, no such incident happened.

01:13I am just playing the visuals, Mr. Minister, of the official who is in a hospital bed.

01:20You are saying to me today on the show that no incident happened, no assault took place.

01:24Please see some of the images, the injuries that the person has suffered and in hospital.

01:29And you are telling me on the show that there was no assault or you did not assault him?

01:33That all of this is faked?

01:36No.

01:37In front of him, there was no assault.

01:40No assault?

01:42Sir, you know, how can you say there was no assault?

01:45Why would a person fake this entire thing and blame you?

01:48I mean, all these bandages and the hospital scenes that we are playing out, is this all part of some conspiracy against you?

01:57Yes.

01:58Now we will come to that point also.

02:00As I got the copy of his complaint through WhatsApp, many of the local people, they had sent me on my WhatsApp.

02:11I received the complaint that some allegations made about you.

02:15While inquiring this whole thing, I found out and I would appreciate if you also make an investigation in the same.

02:25They were not even admitted to the hospital.

02:27They had given a return to the SHO who was present in the hospital that they had not been assaulted by anyone.

02:35And after one hour, the SHO was called back to the hospital.

02:38I don't know.

02:40I don't know the full details why the SHO was called back after one hour to the hospital.

02:46And then again the complaint was written.

02:48You can inquire about that, sir.

02:49Sir, we are inquiring, but I find it prima facie a bit strange to say this entire story is being cooked up by an NHAI official,

02:57that there was no assault, that you have nothing to do with the injuries that this person has suffered,

03:02that the complaint also is a fake complaint.

03:05All of this seems a bit strange.

03:06I mean, is this what you are claiming, that this is all very complete fake story?

03:10Yes, sir, I am.

03:13And the second thing is, while thinking, why are they doing that?

03:20I think so, because liability should be fixed on, sir.

03:25It is not a question of one building, sir.

03:28It is a question about from Pravannu to Shimla.

03:32The work which has been in progress, I would come to that also.

03:37It is all illegal cutting.

03:40They have exceeded beyond their limits, the acquired limits.

03:45They have unscientific cuttings have been done.

03:49All the retaining walls are falling.

03:53You have seen in your news only, in your channels only, how people are suffering.

03:59The tourism department, the tourism has finished off in the whole Himachal Pradesh

04:03because of the NH, not even in District Shimla, but the whole state.

04:07Maybe it is from Kiratpur to Manali, Yugendanagar Road, Dharamshala, Kangara Road.

04:13And I must, one more thing, sir, I have to say with due respect,

04:19that the slope protection has not been done.

04:22They have unscientificly cut down the, on 90 degree slope.

04:26Anirudh Singh, if there are illegalities in the way in which these highways are being constructed

04:43in Himachal Pradesh, that's another matter.

04:45But for you to claim that this, that this entire assault has been faked

04:50only to hide the illegality seems a bit strange

04:53because somebody has gone to the hospital,

04:56there are doctors who have checked this person

04:58and you are today coming on the show and saying that this is all fake injuries

05:02only to hide this illegality.

05:05People are not going to believe you, Mr. Anirudh Singh,

05:07that someone is faking an injury in a government hospital

05:09in a hospital only to, to embarrass you and hide their illegalities.

05:15Sir, I deny all the charges and I must say,

05:19the detailed inquiry should be done in this as a official is saying, sir.

05:25Tell me though, sir, do you have eyewitnesses?

05:27You are claiming this assault never happened.

05:29Do you have eyewitnesses who will show that either you are not present at the site

05:33or that no assault took place?

05:35I mean that you are not involved.

05:36Can you, can you throw even one such eyewitness to us?

05:39Sir, this is not my work, sir.

05:43This is the agency's work to provide the witnesses and the agency.

05:48The agency who, who, who, whoever agency will conduct the inquiry of the FIR

05:54or the complaint made against me, they will conduct it.

05:58Why should I go and ask people that you say in favor of me?

06:04Sir, let me ask you, if it is proven,

06:06if it is proven today that you are involved and you are assaulted him,

06:11will you step down as minister?

06:13Even Nitin Gadkari, the surface transport minister has taken notice

06:17and has sent a letter to your chief minister asking for action.

06:21Will you, if it is proven that you assaulted an NHAI official,

06:25step down as minister, Anirudh Singh?

06:27Well, that's obviously I have to do it.

06:30But, but I must say that when I'm not involved and we believe in justice.

06:35So, I request, I have requested the chief minister also to conduct an inquiry,

06:42detailed inquiry by the agency they want and find out the details and put it to public.

06:50So, are you open, therefore, am I, am I clear that any agency,

06:56particularly a central agency, can do this report?

07:00Because many believe if it's a state agency, you will be protected.

07:03Are you telling me you are ready for any inquiry by any central agency,

07:07surface transport union ministry for, to prove whether you are guilty or not?

07:11I, I have no objection, sir, in any, in any agency.

07:17Okay.

07:18You're open for an inquiry because the worry is the new FIR is actually blaming the officer,

07:23saying the officer acted in an abusive manner.

07:26It almost seems as if the entire system is now trying to blame the official

07:29and give you a clean chit, sir.

07:33We should not look at one side of the coin, sir.

07:36What, what the official has done or misbehaved with anyone,

07:40and they have filed the complaint.

07:43So, that inquiry should also be held.

07:46That's it.

07:48My final question, Anirudh Singhji.

07:51As I said, even Union Minister Ghatkari has intervened,

07:53asked for a full inquiry.

07:55You will concede that many believe this is a clear abuse of power

07:58if this incident has happened.

08:00Are you going to tell me today that Nitin Ghatkari also jumped the gun

08:04while suggesting that you are the involved in the action?

08:07Are you, as I said, ready for an open inquiry?

08:09Come what may?

08:13I have already done a press conference at around 12.30

08:17and told that I will apprise the Honourable Transport Minister about the same

08:23because what he is being briefed is only the NHI officials.

08:29Sir, my final question, Anirudh Singhji.

08:32You know, this is a campaign we are going to launch against abuse of power by politicians.

08:37Politicians, sir, like it or not, have acquired, especially ministers,

08:41lal-bakti ministers,

08:42that they have all the power.

08:43They can do anything, they can do anything, they can do anything, they can do anything,

08:47nothing will happen.

08:49You are a big leader, you can do anything with any official.

08:51You are saying that this is not the case, there is no abuse of power, you did not assault a person.

08:58You are continuously emphasizing that, am I correct?

09:01You are not willing to accept responsibility.

09:05Anirudh Singhji, I would, with due respect, I would like to correct you.

09:09Just see my track record.

09:11I am in electoral politics since 20 years and no such incidents, incident has ever happened.

09:17Not, you can even talk to me, I am sure you have friends in the government also.

09:23You can ask anyone.

09:25I have a 20 years electoral politics record.

09:28Nobody can say.

09:30We have even misdraved with anyone, any public person, government servant, anyone.

09:35So, you know, what I am going to do is use this interview, because this is, this we have got on camera now.

09:42At a possible future date, I will get you back on the show once the inquiry is complete.

09:47And if it is proven that you have assaulted anyone and that what you told me about this being entirely fake is proven wrong,

09:54I hope that you will take responsibility in whatever way that a politician should.

09:59Today you are telling me once again this is complete fake news and you are ready for any inquiry.

10:05Am I correct?

10:06Yes, sir.

10:12Okay, thank you very much, Anirudh Singh, for joining me there from Himachal Pradesh.

10:17You are claiming this is fake news.

10:19We will wait and see what the inquiry reveals.

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