Voter Slaps Politician Across Face During Rally Speech

Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire/@rightlog_in & AsiaWire

This is the moment a politician is slapped across the face by a furious voter while giving a speech on stage during a rally.

Hardik Patel, 25, of the Indian National Congress, was slapped during a ‘Jan Akrosh’ rally in the district of Surendranagar in India’s westernmost state of Gujarat where residents get to vent their anger.

In the footage, Patel is seen addressing the crowd as a stocky man takes to the stage and marches over to him.

Picture Credits: AsiaWire/@rightlog_in & AsiaWire

Without hesitation, the man slaps the politician hard across the face and he reels backwards.

According to local media, Patel, who recently became a congressman, was slapped by Tarun Gajjar who is angry at the politician for leading a serious of protests that affected the health of his wife and child.

Video Credit: AsiaWire/@rightlog_in & AsiaWire

He told reporters after the incident: “My wife was pregnant when the Patidar agitation happened. I decided I’ll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow.

“Then again during his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, Who is he? Gujarat’s Hitler?”

In July 2015, Patel helped to organise a series of demonstrations on behalf of the state’s poor Patidar community which led to numerous incidents of violence and arson resulting in the imposition of a curfew in some cities.