Cong MLA, woman cop come to blows in Shimla

I don’t regret the incident but I feel sorry for what happened... The cop resorted to unparliamentary language and pushed me. In a rage, I raised my hand... ASHA KUMARI, Congress legislator

SHIMLA: A Congress MLA in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday hit a woman constable after she was stopped from entering the party office in Shimla and was slapped back by the police official.

Asha Kumari, Dalhousie legislator and in charge of Punjab, was allegedly trying to force her way inside the Congress office at Circular Road to attend a review meeting held by party chief Rahul Gandhi to assess its performance in the recent assembly elections in the hill state.

Party leaders and workers started jostling to enter the office soon after Gandhi went inside the building amid tight security at the Congress office.

Kumari and former ministers Dhani Ram Shandil and Mukesh Agnihotri got down from their vehicles outside the office and were stopped at the main gate by the constables on duty.

The 62-year-old leader entered into a heated argument with one of the women constables after she was allegedly pushed. Kumari then slapped the woman constable, who hit her back. She was allowed to enter the office after the fracas.

Reacting to the incident, Gandhi said, “It should not have happened. The Congress does not approve hitting someone. It’s the job of the BJP.”

Kumari blamed mismanagement for the incident and accused the constable of misbehaving with her. “I don’t regret the incident but I feel sorry for what happened. It should not have happened. The woman cop resorted to unparliamentary language and pushed me. In a rage, I raised my hand in retaliation and she also did the same,” Kumari said.