NCP leader Neetu Tejwani with BJP MLA Balram Thawani addressing a press conference. (Source: ANI) NCP leader Neetu Tejwani with BJP MLA Balram Thawani addressing a press conference. (Source: ANI)

After being caught on camera beating and kicking a woman NCP leader, BJP MLA from Naroda, Balram Thavani, on Monday said that he has apologised to her. He also met the woman and got her to tie a rakhi on his wrist.

In a video that had gone viral on social media on Sunday, Thavani and his supporters were seen hitting and kicking NCP leader Neetu Tejwani while she was staging a protest outside the MLA’s office along with other women over poor water supply in her area. The incident is said to have taken place on Sunday morning.

Tejwani, who was discharged from the Civil Hospital on Monday morning, said that he has accepted the MLA’s apology. “Balram Thavani visited the NCP office and said ‘you’re like my younger sister. Now, tie me a rakhi as a gift’. I was touched by his gesture and tied him a rakhi,” Tejwani, who is the NCP president of Kubernagar ward, said.

“She’s like my sister, I have apologized to her for what happened yesterday,” BJP MLA Thawani said. (Source: ANI) “She’s like my sister, I have apologized to her for what happened yesterday,” BJP MLA Thawani said. (Source: ANI)

“In Kubernagar, in and around Maya cinema area, water supply lines to approximately 15 to 20 small factories were cut for the past eight days. Each factory houses some 50-60 workers who depended on the water supply for commercial use as well as for their drinking purposes… We wanted to relay their concerns to the MLA. However, Thavaniji has now apologised. He has also accepted my demand that the water supply lines that have been cut off, will be restored,” Tejwani said.

In the video, Thavani and his supporters were seen hitting and kicking NCP leader Neetu Tejwani while she was staging a protest outside the MLA’s office. In the video, Thavani and his supporters were seen hitting and kicking NCP leader Neetu Tejwani while she was staging a protest outside the MLA’s office.

Earlier in the day, Tejwani narrated to reporters how the MLA and his supporters had beaten her up. “When we reached the MLA’s office, he was not there. But his supporters started abusing me… Soon, Balram arrived in a vehicle, came out, snatched the mobile phone from my hand and slapped me very hard. I fell down, after which he started kicking me. They hit me with a stick. He (MLA) kicked me in the stomach and put his boots on my face. There were six-seven more people. When my husband tried to stop him, his men came out from the office and started thrashing him,” PTI quoted Tejwani saying.

According to the MLA he was not in his office when the protest began. “I was not in my office. When I reached there, women protesters said that water pressure was low. I told them to come the next day at 11 am and I will call the municipal corporation team. These people (protesters) were using bad language, yet I was answering them patiently. But then someone attacked me from behind by holding my collar. After something hurt my head, I lost senses and I don’t know how my leg went up and kicked her (Tejwani). Later when I saw the video, I regretted, and realised that I had done wrong. I apologise to the woman who is like a sister,” Thavani said.

The climbdown came after an uproar on social media with the Opposition Congress and NCP condemning the MLA’s violent actions.

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