MP minister accused of creating ruckus at eatery; went for inspection, he says

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh minister Narendra Shivaji Patel and his supporters have been accused of kicking up a ruckus at a restaurant in Gwalior, an allegation the minister has rubbished.

The minister of state for public health and medical education said he visited the eatery as part of an inspection by food safety authorities.

Restaurant owner Sanjay Arora told reporters that the minister’s supporters were upset after being told that a table had been booked upstairs for Patel. They beat up the staff and created a commotion for about an hour, he claimed.

The police also showed up at the restaurant and tried to whisk away his younger but couldn’t due to the opposition from local traders, Arora said.

“Then the food department team arrived and began action,” Arora said, adding that he would file a police complaint.

Praveen Agrawal, president of the MP Chamber of Commerce, told reporters that he received a call around 10 pm on Sunday that some people had entered the restaurant, claiming one among them was a minister. “I was told they began vandalising the premises,” he said.

Speaking to reporters, Patel called the allegations baseless and said he had gone there in connection with an inspection.

“I carried out several tasks upon arriving in Gwalior on Sunday, including inspecting medical colleges and hospitals. I also reviewed the work of the food department,” he said.

“The restaurant in question was part of a routine inspection. It was appropriate for me to be present during the sampling. A cooking oil sample failed right in front of me. There is a recording of it,” he said.

Patel said the allegations against him are a plan to avoid legal action. “Other food samples have also been collected, and they will be tested. We are trying to improve the system,” he said.

Action against wrongdoers won’t be stopped due to pressure politics, he asserted.

Patel said accusations are being made even before the test results are out. They are showing other CCTV footage, but not of the sampling, he said.

“I did not go there to eat. I attended a wedding reception at the MP Speaker’s place and had food there. The allegations are false,” Patel added.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.