Watch: Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla alleges that Tarek Fatah assaulted him on TV debate
The two were discussing the controversial Pakistan-born Canadian writer's involvement in an altercation at an Urdu festival in Delhi.
'You( @TarekFatah ) are an ISI agent' @Shehzad_Ind to @bhupendrachaube on #Big5At10 pic.twitter.com/EX67HjYjJk
— News18 (@CNNnews18) February 21, 2017
Controversial television personality Tarek Fatah was involved in an altercation with 40 attendees at an Urdu festival in Delhi on Sunday. Police personnel had to be called to escort the Pakistan-born writer out of the venue.
On Tuesday, Fatah appeared on television channel News18’s Big 5 at 10 hosted by journalist Bhupendra Chaubey to provide his side of the story. Joining him on the debate was Shehzad Poonwalla, the Secretary of the Maharashtra Congress.
Their debate, which mostly consisted of them yelling over each other, turned out to be extremely contentious (video above). Chaubey apparently intervened to calm things down.
Bhupendra Chaubey trying to calm down @Shehzad_Ind and @TatekFatah on air. Heh. pic.twitter.com/TdtiBWvaqN
— Jaskirat Singh Bawa (@JaskiratSB) February 21, 2017
But what happened after the show is what is now making the news.
Poonawalla apparently began recording a video soon after the show was over. The video, released on Twitter, begins with what seems like a camera falling out of Poonawalla’s hand. The Congress leader alleged that Fatah had slapped the phone from his hand and assaulted him, although the television personality can be heard denying any wrongdoing in the video.
@JaskiratSB My hand was slapped by Tarek Fatah & called bastard fucker etc in front of cameras & @bhupendrachaube full video with @CNNnews18 pic.twitter.com/LYnWIpaRur
— Shehzad Poonawalla (@Shehzad_Ind) February 21, 2017
While News18 hasn’t commented on the issue, Chaubey had this to say.
I do not support violence in any form, most certainly in tv studios. We should debate, not debase ourselves. Feeling sad.
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) February 21, 2017