Click to play videoNew Delhi: Harvinder Singh, a resident of Rohini in the capital, slapped the Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in full glare of TV cameras on Thursday.
The miscreant, who even attempted to slash his wrists, was taken into custody immediately. He was citing rising prices as the reason for his anger.
Thursday's attack Pawar is the latest in a series of acts of public retribution. In 2009, Home Minister P Chidambaram was target of a shoe attack.
A steady sequence began thereafter. First Congress MP Naveen Jindal had a shoe hurled at him in April 2009. A few days later it was BJP leader LK Advani - a slipper hurled at him by a disgruntled party worker.
Two years later as corruption scandals peaked, a lawyer flung a slipper at former CWG head Suresh Kalmadi when he was being brought in for a hearing.
Soon shoe-throwing turned to more violent attacks. In October this year, Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan was beaten up in his chamber.
Ironically, in Parliament, debate slated on price rise could not take place for the third straight day as the Opposition and the government failed to arrive at a compromise on the rules under which the debate should take place.
The Opposition quickly related the slapping saga to government's own administrative failures.
BJP leader SS Ahluwalia said, "People are hitting on the streets and government does want a debate." Senior BJP leader Balbir Punj said, "Congress is responsible for this. When its own ministers beat up a man, no action was taken against them."
Congress Spokesperson Rashid Alvi retorted back and said, "BJP is responsible for this."
The incident is now snowballing into a huge political crisis with NCP workers carrying out protests in Mumbai.
PAwar's daughter Supriya Sule said, "This is not a good sign for democracy."
Even Anna Hazare, self-confessed arch rival of Pawar, was quick to respond to the incident. Initially with swagger Anna said, "Just one slap?"; only to clarify a little later, "It's not correct in democracy, it is undemocratic, no one should manhandle anyone."
Within minutes the video of slapgate scandal had gone viral on the social media. But while people across the world may have watched this several times over, there is also the danger of more people getting provoked by an act which cannot be justified at any cost.
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