Himachal Congress woman legislator booked for slapping cop
Shimla: Congress leader and Himachal Pradesh firebrand legislator Asha Kumari was booked on Friday for allegedly slapping a woman constable who was on duty outside the venue of a review meeting being conducted by Congress President Rahul Gandhi.
Gandhi was here for a daylong visit to assess the party's debacle in the recently held assembly elections in the state when the legislator from Dalhousie was allegedly trying to force her way into the venue.
Eyewitnesses said as the constable posted outside the Congress Bhawan tried to stop Asha Kumari, an AICC secretary, she got infuriated and allegedly slapped her.
In retaliation, the constable allegedly slapped her back.
It was on the intervention of others, including legislator and former Cabinet Minister Dhani Ram Shandil, that the tempers were soothed. Another legislator and former Cabinet Minister Mukesh Agnihotri was also accompanying Asha Kumari.
At the time, Gandhi was inside the office, meeting party legislators, defeated party candidates and local leaders to discuss the defeat of the Congress.
Later, Asha Kumari, a former state Education Minister from 2003-05, apologised.
"She (police constable) abused me and pushed me, she should have shown restraint. Yes, I agree I should not have lost my temper. I apologised," she told reporters.
She admitted Gandhi condemned the incident. "Our national president says such incidents should not happen."
Superintendent of Police Saumya Sambasivan told reporters that a case has been registered against the legislator on the complaint of the constable.
The BJP wrested power from the Congress, winning close to a two thirds majority with 44 seats in the 68-member Assembly. The Congress won 21 seats, independents two and the Communist Party of India-Marxist one.
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French President Macron concludes Mumbai visit
Mumbai (PTI): French President Emmanuel Macron, along with First Lady Brigitte Macron, left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
During the Mumbai visit, the French president and his wife also met some of India's top filmmakers and actors, and had an animated exchange with them about cinema, culture and collaboration.
President Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in the national capital Delhi, besides the bilateral summit in Mumbai.
PM Modi will inaugurate the summit on February 19. As many as 20 heads of states, including French President Macron, will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
