Slipper thrown at MP Pappu Yadav over Parliament Ram temple skit, two detained

The incident came amid backlash over the MP's Parliament protest on the alleged Ram temple donation theft, with police detaining two people after the scuffle.

A man allegedly threw a slipper at Independent MP Pappu Yadav during a press conference at his Pandara Road house on Sunday after the lawmaker defended his controversial skit at the Parliament House complex on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, leading to a scuffle between his supporters and the attacker.

Police personnel detain a man after he allegedly hurled a slipper at Independent MP Pappu Yadav during a press conference, in New Delhi, (PTI)

Yadav said he would not be intimidated by the “attempt on his life”.

Backlash over Parliament skit

The MP from Bihar’s Purnia was addressing the presser amid a backlash from BJP, Hindu groups and others over his Friday protest, with an FIR being filed in Varanasi against him, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad (Ayodhya) Awadhesh Prasad for allegedly hurting religious sentiments , while BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj and other leaders filed a police complaint in Delhi.

At the presser, a man questioned Yadav over his actions and alleged that the MP had insulted Lord Ram. He then threw a slipper at Yadav and a scuffle broke out between Yadav’s supporters and the attacker.

Scuffle erupts after slipper attack

Police said the accused, Sumit, 34 a resident of UP’s Bulandshahr, was overpowered and hit by Yadav’s supporters while another accused, Happy Sharma, who was in an SUV parked outside the MP’s house, was also held. Police said Yadav’s supporters handed them over a knife and said it was recovered from Sumit’s pocket. Police are verifying all allegations.

People close to Yadav claimed that the two were posing as journalists. Before the commotion at the presser, Yadav asserted that he had done no wrong and asked whether saffron is a monopoly of the RSS.

“Saffron is part of our culture. Sanatan is the way of life for us,” Yadav said. “Those who want to kill me can do so; I will not be scared,” Yadav said.

Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera slammed the Delhi Police over the attack on the MP.