On Tuesday (April 27) morning, a Congress councilor was seen thrashing two Hindu Sadhus in the Pilibanga area in the Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan.
As per reports, the accused has been identified as one Poonam Mahant. She is the councillor of ward number 35 and was elected on a Congress ticket in January this year. In a video that has now gone viral, the transgender Congress councillor was seen slapping two Hindu saints and shoving them in one corner. She then inquired, “Where are your masks in the time of the Coronavirus pandemic?” It must be mentioned that the accused herself did not have a mask or face covering.
Intimidated by the possibility of physical harm, one of the sadhus pointed towards a piece of cloth around his neck (suggesting that it was his mask). “Where is your mask?” she threatened after seizing the stick from one of the Sadhus. “Put the mask on,” she ordered and proceeded to hit a Sadhu with the stick in her hand. In her defence, she has claimed that she stopped the Sadhus only because they were roaming around without a mask.
बिन मास्क घूम रहे संतों को कांग्रेस पार्षद ने पीटा,
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) April 27, 2021
पार्षद ने ख़ुद भी मास्क नहीं लगाया, विडियो वायरल#Rajasthan #Hanumangarh #MaskUp pic.twitter.com/J2GY3Wm24P
Following social media backlash, the accused Congress worker tried to do ‘damage control.’ In another video made viral by the accused, one of the Sadhus was seen approaching the house of the councillor. The ‘transgender’ then stepped out of her house and directed him to a signboard. “Please wear a mask”, she was heard as saying. Poonam Mahant was then seen handing out a mask to the Sadhu and urging him to take care of himself amidst the Coronavirus crisis.
वीडियो वायरल होने के बाद कांग्रेस पार्षद पूनम महंत ने नाटकीय अंदाज में दूसरा वीडियो किया जारी
— News24 (@news24tvchannel) April 27, 2021
इसमें वह घर से निकलते साधू को मास्क देते नजर आ रही हैं ।#Rajasthan #Hanumangarh #MaskUp pic.twitter.com/qS9Lv1EYgs
Despite her best attempt to deflect social media backlash and portray herself as a genuine political leader, netizens were not convinced by her act.