Barve says slap at Pratibha Dhanorkar was a joke between siblings, will seek CM inquiry into email

Congress MP from Ramtek Shyamkumar Barve has responded to allegations that he slapped Chandrapur MP Pratibha Dhanorkar while travelling on a bus. Barve rejected the claims. He said Dhanorkar is like a younger sister to him and that it all happened in the course of light-hearted banter.

The matter relates to the day of the Congress's "Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao" rally, held in Delhi on November 1. It is alleged that Barve slapped Dhanorkar on a bus that day. A video of the incident is now going viral and has stirred up politics. A complaint has also reportedly been made that the Congress MP's conduct damaged the party's image.

Barve said, "Can't a brother and sister joke with each other?" He said this was being done to malign the bond between a brother and sister. He said they take agitations very seriously, and that what happened was a gesture made in jest. He added that there was no need to make it such a big issue.

Barve said the Delhi agitation is receiving wide support and is continuing. He said a fake narrative was being spread to discredit these protests. He said the video in question is on his social media as well as everyone else's. He said the same video involving Pratibha Dhanorkar is also on the social media accounts of Varshatai Gaikwad and Dhanorkar herself. According to Barve, this is an attempt to tarnish the protest and defame a woman.

Barve accused his opponents of sending an email built on a false story and a fake narrative. He claimed they created a fake mail in the Congress's name and sent it to senior party leaders. He said the mail is fake. He said the state president has also reacted to it. Barve also said no complaint has been registered anywhere, and the name of the complainant does not appear in the mail.

For this reason, Barve said he would write to the Chief Minister and have the mail investigated. He said an inquiry would bring out the truth.