On the heels of photos going viral online of a BJP MLA piggybacking on a policeman, a video has appeared on social media of another party legislator who is seen forcing his convoy through an under-construction tunnel after purportedly misbehaving with the workers at the site.
The video shows the convoy of Ramban BJP MLA Neelam Langeh seeking to pass through the under-construction Nashri-Chenani surface tunnel and the staff of the company engaged in the project trying to advise them against doing so.
The workers at the site are heard saying in the video that a message had been relayed to them by those manning the entry point of the tunnel that they were misbehaved with by the MLA and his staff as they forced their way through.
"Sir, you cannot move ahead, the tunnel is under construction and it is dangerous to move forward," a worker is heard saying in the video.
But the MLA insists that he had to take the route through the tunnel as he was on his way to attend an emergency meeting with the deputy chief minister in Jammu.
The MLA is subsequently seen getting off his vehicle and crossing the barricade to shout at the staff who were trying to prevent him from passing.
Justifying his action after the video of the episode appeared online, the MLA said he had "wanted to check their security" as he claimed that he was not stopped at the entry point of the tunnel but was instead allowed to move ahead.
"I wanted to check their security as nobody stopped me at the entry point of the tunnel and, throughout the tunnel, I was given green signal to move ahead. It was only at the exit point of the tunnel where the staff placed a barricade and stopped me," Langeh told PTI.
Denying that he had misbehaved with the staff at the site, the MLA alleged that it was the workers instead who had shouted at him after he requested them to let him pass as he was getting late for his meeting with the deputy chief minister.
"It was the staff of the construction company that misbehaved with me. I responded in the heat of the moment, but I maintained my calm despite so much provocation by them," he said.
He also alleged that there was a "conspiracy" to defame him as he was doing a lot of work in his constituency.
The present episode has come to light a day after a BJP MLA from Chhamb constituency, Krishan Lal, was seen piggybacking on a policeman while crossing a rivulet.
