'My Tears Not Weakness,' Says Police Officer Bullied by BJP Lawmaker

In mobile phone footage, Charu Nigam is subjected to a torrent of insults by a BJP legislator.

Charu Nigam, an Uttar Pradesh police officer seen on camera wiping her tears as she was being shouted at and threatened by a BJP lawmaker on Sunday, said today that she was “not crying” but emotional after a senior officer stood up for her. “Don’t think of my tears as my weakness…The tears were because of kindness, not because of harsh words” – Ms Nigam says in a Facebook post.

In mobile phone footage that has been widely seen and shared since yesterday, Ms Nigam is subjected to a torrent of insults by a BJP legislator in Gorakhpur, the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The India Police Service (IPS) officer was trying to control women protesters who had blocked a road while demanding a ban on liquor shops, when a minor clash erupted. The police say there was some stone-throwing by the protester, after which they used batons and some were injured.

Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, a veteran BJP lawmaker and a well-known doctor in the town, arrived on the scene and started shouting at Ms Nigam, saying, “Main aapse baat nahin kar raha hoon… mujhe tum kuch na batao. Chup raho tum! Bardasht ke bahar mat jao (I am not speaking to you. Don’t tell me anything. You keep quiet. Don’t cross your limits)”.

The BJP lawmaker repeatedly wagged his finger at the IPS officer while yelling.

Then a senior police officer also landed up and Ms Nigam was seen using a handkerchief to wipe her tears – an image that was used by many to define VIP high-handedness and bullying.

In her Facebook post, Ms Nigam said, “My training hasn’t taught me to be weak. I just did not expect that my (senior) Ganesh Saha Sir would outrightly reject the irrational argument and talk about my injury. Before sir came, I was the seniormost officer in police there but when sir came and stood by the force, I got emotional.”

She added, “Please stay calm! I am fine and slightly hurt. Nothing to be agitated or worried about.”

The politician has denied misbehaving with the officer.

“We are against liquor shops. People were peacefully protesting against the liquor shops, but the woman police officer forcibly removed the protesters and while doing so, she hit a woman and dragged an 80-year-old man. This cannot be tolerated,” said Dr Agarwal.

Source: http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/my-tears-not-weakness-says-police-officer-charu-nigam-on-row-with-mla-radha-mohan-das-1690915