A recent municipal council meeting in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli turned into a boxing arena after members were seen in a video landing punches on each other. The video of the incident has gone viral, with former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, taking a swipe at the ruling BJP, said one should come to such meetings only after arranging their own security.
In the video, some members were seen landing punches and kicks on each other like WWE wrestlers. People even used tables to protect themselves. One of the leaders was seen climbing on a chair to land a punch on another member. The bizarre incident took place during a board meeting of the Shamli Municipal Council. Municipal chairman Arvind Sangal and MLA Prasann Chaudhary were also present at the scene when the scuffle broke out.
A small part of the brawl was captured on video and it has gone viral on social media platforms. The Opposition has pounced on the opportunity to attack the Yogi Adityanath government.
"When no development work has been done then what else could have happened in the review meeting, that is why physical blows were exchanged among the councillors in Shamli. Lesson of BJP rule: Come to the review meeting after arranging your own security," Akhilesh Yadav posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The Samajwadi Party chief said the incident not only raised questions about the state of local governance but has also highlighted the tension and the rift within the BJP.
The Congress also took a dig at the saffron party and shared the video with a caption, "An average BJP meeting".
According to a report of India Today, the meeting was being held to discuss development projects worth Rs 4 crore in Shamli.