Bengaluru, Jan 24: Allegedly humiliated by a sales executive at a showroom for his looks, a farmer in Tumakuru district, who had gone to buy a new pick-up truck, threw up a challenge and returned with the cash in quick time, but claimed that the promise to deliver the vehicle immediately was not honoured.

The video of the purported incident has been widely circulated in the social media and has drawn criticism with some users accusing the sales team at the showroom of being "classist".

The incident is said to have taken place on Friday, when the farmer named Kempegowda from Ramanapalya in Chikkasandra hobli, along with seven of his associates, had gone to buy the Bolero pick-up truck at a showroom.

"Looking at my clothes and my condition, they felt that I'm not in a position to pay the money...one of their field officers told me- you probably don't even have Rs 10, will you buy this vehicle?- He even said that those who come to buy a vehicle don't come in the way we had," Kempegowda said.

He said, "Humiliated, one of my uncles challenged the salesman that they were ready to pay Rs 10 lakh and would he deliver the vehicle immediately to which he replied if they get full cash in half-an-hour, he would deliver the vehicle immediately."

Kempegowda said when he got Rs 10 lakh and placed it before the sales persons within 30 minutes, "They changed the plate", and said they won't be able to deliver the vehicle immediately for various reasons.

Angered by this, Kempegowda and his associates informed the police and refused to leave the place, demanding that the vehicle be delivered to them immediately or a written apology for the humiliation.

After police persuaded them, they left the spot stating that they don't want a vehicle from the showroom anymore, but want them to apologise.

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New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India on Thursday slammed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his reported remark that Pranab Mukherjee, when he was President, had said tribals would turn "anti-national" if there is no "ghar wapsi"Catholic Bishops.'

In a statement issued here, CBCI, a body of Catholic Bishops, referred to reports which said Bhagwat, at an event on Monday, claimed that Mukherjee, while he was President had appreciated ghar wapsi and told him that had it not been for the Sangh's work on reconversion, a section of Adivasis would have turned "anti-national".The CBCI called the report "shocking".

"Fabricated personal conversation being attributed to a former president of India and its posthumous publication with the vested interest of an organization with questionable credibility raises a grave issue of national importance," the CBCI claimed.

"Is it not the violent ghar wapsi program of VHP and other similar organizations, curtailing the exercise of freedom of conscience of economically deprived tribals, the real anti-national activity?" it asked.

'Ghar wapsi' is a term used by the RSS and affiliated organisations to refer to reconversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, based on the belief that they were originally Hindus before converting to other religions.

The CBCI also questioned why Bhagwat did not speak about it while Mukherjee was alive.

"We, the 2.3 percent of Indian citizens who are Christians feel extremely hurt by such manipulated and motivated propaganda unleashed," it said.

In a post on X following the statement issued by CBCI, Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said, "Speak up. This is a start!"

"Bishops body have issued a statement condemning remarks made by Dr Mohan Bhagwat and RSS for defaming the Christian community," he said.

O'Brien added that they should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi more questions, including why Christmas Day has been turned into "Good Governance Day".

The TMC leader, in a blogpost earlier this month, had said "hard questions" must be asked to the government with regards to the Christian community, including why the FCRA has been 'weaponised', and why has Manipur been 'ignored'.