Video: Karnataka MLA waves gun to Dhurandhar song at family event, row erupts

A wedding celebration in Karnataka turned controversial when a Congress leader was seen dancing with what appeared to be a gun, sparking a police probe and political backlash. The leader claimed it was a fake toy used as a prop during a family function.

A wedding celebration in Karnataka has snowballed into a political controversy after a Congress leader was seen dancing with what appeared to be a gun and later posing with it at a family function, prompting a police probe and a sharp political backlash.

The video, which surfaced on social media, shows Afzalpur Congress leader Mateen Patel at a resort event in Kalaburagi, holding a firearm while dancing to music. Patel is known to be a close aide of Congress MLA MY Patil.

As the clip went viral, Patel denied that he had used a real weapon and insisted that the incident was being given a political colour.

“There was a program of my elder sister's daughter. There were members of our family in that program. In that resort, they gave me a role in a Dhurandhar film,” Patel said.

“By taking toys from home and being requested by my children, I went on stage and played a role. It's like a serial. It's a fake toy,” he added.

Calling it a family affair blown out of proportion, Patel said, “There was a program for a family function in a resort. The police department has also enquired. They have also checked and given a report.”