MP minister accused of kicking a boy says 'drunk youth' tripped and fell on her feet

Under flak for allegedly kicking a boy, Madhya Pradesh minister Kusum Mahdale on Monday denied the incident. In fact, she went a step ahead and said that it was actually a “drunk youth” who tripped and fell on her feet. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed for “sensitivity” towards others in the backdrop of the controversy. [caption id=“attachment_2492812” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Madhya Pradesh minister Kusum Mahdale. Screenshot from YouTube video[/caption] 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. On the other hand, the youth, a 12-year-old boy from Hathupur village, told local media persons that he had indeed been kicked by the minister, reported Hindustan Times. The purported incident had taken place at a function organised to celebrate Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day near bus stand in Panna district on Sunday.

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. (With inputs from PTI)