Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma on Monday accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal of politicising the Tilak Nagar road inspection controversy, claiming that the man involved in the confrontation was an AAP worker and not a member of Gen Z.
In a video posted on X, Verma defended his visit to the site, saying he had gone there following complaints raised by AAP MLA Jarnail Singh and intended to explain the Delhi government's ongoing road construction work.
“So now Kejriwal ji has stepped into the field. Swearing false oaths on his children, making his elderly parents sit in wheelchairs on voting day to play the emotional card, beating up a female MP in Sheesh Mahal, and beating up the Chief Secretary of Delhi—it had all become a habit for them. And now, they are leaning on the pretext of ‘Gen Z’,” Verma said.
The minister challenged Kejriwal's description of the alleged victim as a young member of Gen Z, claiming that the individual was associated with the AAP and had arrived at the inspection site alongside the opposition MLA.
“Kejriwal ji, the person who came into my round yesterday was not a Gen Z; he was your goon. Your MLA reached there with several goons. I wanted to explain to him gently what kind of work we are doing. If you had any complaint, I went there to address and resolve those complaints,” he added.
Verma defends road inspection, targets Kejriwal's record
Verma said his visit was intended to address complaints about the road project and described his decision to personally inspect the site as an effort to resolve an issue raised by an opposition legislator.
Claiming that such a response was unusual in Delhi, he criticised the previous AAP government over its record on infrastructure and development.
“If you fail to understand these things, it’s because for 15 years you neither built roads in Delhi nor carried out any development work. Kejriwal ji, I want to tell you that this Gen Z drama of yours is not going to work,” he said.
The minister's remarks came after Kejriwal demanded action against him over the alleged slapping of Saheb Singh during the road inspection. The AAP convenor had also questioned the quality of the newly constructed road in Tilak Nagar and called for action against officials allegedly responsible for irregularities.
PWD minister alleges FIR against man involved in confrontation
Verma further claimed that the person who confronted him during the inspection had been named in an FIR registered three months earlier in connection with an alleged assault on a contractual employee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
“He broke the neck of a minor contract employee of MCD. Jarnail Singh’s own nephew is also named in that FIR. Both were arrested by our Delhi Police. And later, you even tried to get that poor contract employee’s home and shop demolished,” he alleged.
The minister also warned against any attempts to obstruct government projects or allegedly intimidate officials and contractors engaged in public works.
“If you are going there today, go ahead. Take all your goons with you. Do as much drama as you want, but your hooliganism will not work in front of me at all,” he said.
The exchange marks a fresh escalation in the political dispute between the BJP-led Delhi government and the AAP over the road inspection, the alleged assault and the quality of the construction work.