Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today summoned his ministerial colleague Kusum Mahdele amid growing demand for sacking her from cabinet in the wake of the row over the "kicking" incident, but she failed to turn up citing health reasons.
"I asked her (Mahdele) to give her clarification which she has given and stated that no such incident took place and that she has not done anything like that," Chouhan told reporters after reviewing drought situation with top officials here.
Chouhan said he had summoned the Animal Husbandry Minister in the wake of the controversy.
"I have called her. She told me that she is down with fever yesterday and today also she is not well and I don't think there is any need to say anything more on that. I will take a call on the matter once I get report (on the incident)," he told reporters.
When asked that even RSS has demanded a stern action against the minister apart from the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and that ministers should remain sensitive towards people, the CM replied, "Even I am saying that ministers should remain more sensitive towards people".
Mahdele is in the midst of controversy after a video clipping purportedly showing her kicking a boy who was begging from her went viral on November 1.
The purported incident had taken place at a function organised to celebrate Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day near a bus stand in Panna district.
Yesterday, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari demanded that Mehdele should be sacked over the issue.
The AAP had also sought Mahdele's resignation and petitioned the Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission here for stern action against her.
Mahdele has claimed that the video being played on news channels was an "absolute lie".
Chouhan did not respond to more queries on the issue even as he listed various decisions taken by his government for improving agriculture scenario in the state.
