In Row For "Slap" To Staff, Assam Legislator Has A "Selfie" Defence

Union protests against MLA Basumatary from BJP's ruling alliance as assistant at secretariat says he slapped him upon being asked to use visitor slip

Assam government employees held a protest after a legislator from the BJP-led ruling alliance allegedly slapped a staff member who'd asked him to fill out a visitor's slip at the Transport Secretary's office. The fact that the staffer, Junior Assistant Bibhuti Bhattacharya, is physically challenged — due to a hearing problem in one ear — has further angered the employee unions. 

The MLA, Jayanta Basumatary of the United People's Party Liberal or UPPL, has denied the allegations. He said he'd “just pushed his hand down”.  

But the Sadou Assam Karmachari Parishad, the state's largest staff union, has written to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. No police complaint has yet been registered. 

Bibhuti Bhattacharya, who made the allegations, said he could not recognise the MLA when he came to see Transport Secretary Adil Khan at his office on Wednesday. “I requested him to fill up the visitors' slip. He identified himself and said an MLA is not required to do this formality. I said this is the government protocol. But he got angry and slapped me,” he told reporters.