New Delhi: After a recent video of Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari emerged on the social media, in which he is purportedly insulting a female teacher at a public function, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday sought action against him. AAP’s Delhi convener Dilip Pandey called Mr Tiwari’s behaviour “shameful and unfortunate,” and urged the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to take “strict action” against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader.
“In the video, which appears to be three-four days old, Mr Tiwari is seen humiliating a lady teacher for inviting him respectfully on the stage and requesting him to sing a few lines,” Mr Pandey said.
“Before becoming a Member of Parliament, Tiwariji was a renowned artist and had been frequently exhibiting his talent on public forum whenever he addressed people. But then insulting her, humiliating her, and seeking action against her (as it appears on the video) in such a manner for a genuine request is shameful and unfortunate,” Mr Pandey added.
He urged DCW to take strict action against the BJP MP “so that an elected representative never insults women from a public forum again.”
Slamming Mr Tiwari for later claiming that he did nothing wrong, Mr Pandey said, “It would have been better if he had apologised instead of justifying his behaviour.”
Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also took to Twitter over the matter and asked why the teachers’ associations were silent on the issue. “Why are BJP-affiliated teachers’ associations, teachers’ council, and those talking about patriotism silent on a teacher’s insult by their leader?” Mr Sisodia asked.
However, the said teacher, Neetu Singh, who is employed with the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), met Mr Tiwari and expressed her shock over the incident being misused for political mileage.
“It is really shocking to see that a matter which was sorted out by a small word ‘sorry,’ is being distorted for political misuse. This misuse has hurt me a lot and I appeal to political parties, teachers’ associations, and media to treat this matter as closed,” she said.
