By IANS,
Porbandar/New Delhi : Congress MP from Porbandar, Vitthalbhai Radadiya is facing the heat for brandishing a gun at a toll plaza in Vadodara Thursday night. The party’s central leadership Friday sought a report on the incident from the Congress’ Gujarat unit.
The BJP termed the incident as “very serious” and said the Congress should discipline its MPs in the poll-bound state. Radadiya’s car was stopped by toll booth personnel at Karjan near Vadodara late Thursday night.
In their complaint to police, toll plaza personnel said the attendant asked for the MP’s identity card and the driver showed him a photocopy. They said when the toll attendant asked for the original, Radadiya got angry and stepped out of the car with a gun in hand.
Radadiya has been caught on CCTV cameras strutting around his car with the gun and brandishing it at one of the windows of the toll plaza.
Radadiya told a TV news channel that he had acted in self-defence as some people had surrounded his car.
Radadiya said as an MP, he deserved respect and alleged that the plaza staff had described his identity card as false.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said in New Delhi the party has asked its Gujarat unit for a report. Agreeing that the incident was disturbing, Tewari said necessary action will be taken.
“It is extremely disturbing and we absolutely share your concern. We have asked Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee to submit a report,” Tewari said. BJP leader Balbir Punj said the incident of an MP brandishing gun was “very serious”.
“It is a crude attempt by the Congress to vitiate the atmosphere and affect law and order (ahead of polls),” Punj said. He said the Congress should bring “some element of discipline” among its MPs.