Kick row: Minister says it was a drunk youth, not boy

Bhopal/Dewas, Nov 2: Under flak for allegedly kicking a boy, Madhya Pradesh minister Kusum Mahdale today denied the incident saying it was actually a "drunk youth" who tripped on and fell on her feet, even as Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed for "sensitivity" towards others in the backdrop of the controversy.

The Animal Husbandry Minister, who is in the midst of the row after a video clipping purportedly showing her kicking the boy went viral, clarified that the boy in question was a 20-year-old youth who was "highly" drunk and lost his balance and fell on her feet when she was returning from a programme at Panna bus stand area.

She also said the youth was not known to her. The purported incident had taken place at a function organised to celebrate Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day near bus stand in Panna district yesterday. Meanwhile, evading a direct reply, Chouhan told reporters in Dewas that everyone should be sensitive towards others.

"The Minister (Mahdele) has given her clarification on the issue...(we) will see and probe it to clear the situation. Everyone should remain sensitive in such matters," he said. Earlier in the day Mahdale said that the video being played on news channels was an "absolute lie".

In the video, Mahdele, one of the senior members of the state Cabinet, was seen kicking the boy as he bowed to touch her feet at a function organised to celebrate Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day near the bus stand in Panna district.

"As I was going towards my car, there was a reporter who with a cameraman came to take my interview. I was answering some questions while moving towards my car when somebody fell on my feet. Nothing more than this happened. So, I didn't even see his face. I have not seen any video yet. The video being played on various channels is an absolute lie," she said earlier today.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari demanded that Mahdele should be sacked over the issue. The Aam Aadmi Party too sought her resignation and petitioned the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission for stern action against her.

PTI