Haryana minister defends move to walk out of meet after spat with woman police officer

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij, who has been accused of being on a power trip as he walked out of a meeting following a verbal spat with a woman police officer, has defended his move. The Haryana minister has held the woman DSP responsible for the incident.

Vij has claimed that the woman officer tried to silence representatives of an NGO, who had come to meet the minister over a complaint.

Blaming the police officer, Vij said, "She started shouting at the NGO, why have you come before the minister? Why have you come before the Mantri? This can't be allowed at any cost."

He added, "Why can't the people come and complain in a grievance committee, then what is it made for? She started shouting and I said this is wrong, you cannot shout at them. You are proving their charge."

Vij had walked out of a meeting after having a verbal spat with the woman police officer. A video shows the Minister asking the woman DSP to get out of a conference room. The officer refused to leave, after which the furious minister walked out.

The ugly confrontation took place during a meeting of the District Grievances and Public Relations Committee which was also attended by Deputy Commissioner NK Solanki.

Despite the minister's walk out, the Deputy Commissioner continued with the meeting. The minister had questioned Superintendent of Police Sangeeta Kalia regarding a complaint pertaining to unauthorised sale of liquor in villages.

On being asked by the minister as to what steps the police had taken regarding the multiple sale points of liquor which had opened in the villages, Kalia said that as many as 2,500 cases had been registered under the Excise Act in the last 10 months, which was a "record". Vij was, however, not satisfied with the SP's reply.

As the two continued to argue on the matter, the minister became agitated and allegedly asked the SP to "get out" of the meeting. The lady officer, however, refused to leave as she felt she was not in the wrong, and even objected to the minister's manner.

The officer's response angered Vij, who immediately left the meeting. All BJP workers and committee members present also followed suit.

(With PTI Inputs)