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BJP functionary's heated altercation with visually-impaired woman in MP church, video goes viral
The video also drew backlash online, with users criticising BJP leader Anju Bhargava for her behaviour with the visually-impaired woman.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) functionary in Madhya Pradesh is at the centre of a big controversy over a video purportedly showing her in a heated exchange with a visually impaired woman at a church. The BJP leader, identified as the party's district vice-president Anju Bhargava, can be seen shouting at the visually-impaired woman in the clip, asking her why she brought along a little girl “among Christians”.
The video was widely shared online by several users, including some Congress leaders who lashed out at the BJP over it. “This ignorance and cruelty is the easiest way to advance in the BJP. These people are stains on society,” Congress leader Supriya Shrinate wrote, sharing the purported clip.
The video also drew backlash from other users, who sought accountability over the incident and criticised the BJP leader for her behaviour with the visually-impaired woman.
The video showed Bhargava yelling at the woman and even holding her face at one point. In return, the woman held Bhargava's arms and asked her speak calmly, as a cop tried to pacify the situation.
Anju Bhargava could be heard asking the woman why she had applied a sindoor and, pointing to a young girl seated nearby, asked why she had brought her there “among Christians.”
The heated confrontation was triggered after Anju Bhargava alleged that the visually-impaired students were being forced into religious conversion, Indian Express reported. Bhargava was reportedly accompanied by several right-wing organisations. As part of a Christmas-related outreach, members of the community had invited the students from a government-run hostel for a meal.
Anju Bhargava reportedly clarified her stand on the matter and defended her actions saying she had received information that some women were being held near the church against their will. “Visually impaired women complained they wanted to leave and alleged irregularities in how the programme was organised,” Indian Express quoted the BJP leader as saying.
Bhargava even claimed that she was assaulted during the heated exchange but didn't file a complaint as the woman involved was blind.
There was no official response from the BJP till the time of writing this report.
