BJP MP Vitthal Radadiya 'admits' to kicking man, says it's small incident

Ahmedabad: Controversial BJP MP Vitthal Radadiya on Tuesday "admitted" to kicking an elderly man during a music event recently but clarified that he did so to stop the man from "spreading superstition" even as he termed it as a "small incident".

His clarification came days after a video purportedly showing the Porbandar MP kicking the man at the function, held at Jamkandorna town in Rajkot district, surfaced.

The video showed agitated Radadiya approaching the man sitting in a makeshift tent at the folk music event and then kicking him even as the latter prayed to be spared.

The video also showed Radadiya picking up the man's belongings and gesturing him to leave the spot.

"That man was spreading superstition, as he was continuously shaking his head and body when artists were singing. His act also disturbed many others, including women, as they felt uncomfortable due to his weird acts," Radadiya said.

He had earlier denied the attack.

"I am told by the organisers that he has been living in the tent since last three-four days. To stop him from disturbing others through his strange acts, I kicked him first and asked the organisers to take him out. After he was taken away, people felt relieved. It was a small incident," he said.

Though no FIR has been filed by the unidentified man against Radadiya, Rajkot police yesterday took the matter suo motu and started their investigation and sent the video for forensic analysis.

Meanwhile, the Gujarat High Court today ordered an "independent investigation" by police into an alleged assault by Radadiya and others of a shop-owner at Dhoraji in Rajkot district last year.

Radadiya, then a Congress MP, had rented out a shop at Dhoraji to Sharifbhai Shakariyana, a party worker.

On October 12 last year, Radadiya and his men allegedly beat up Rajesh Mehta, who ran the shop on Shakariyana's behalf, to get it vacated.

When Mehta approached the police, they only registered a non-cognisable offence and not an FIR.