‘Rickshaw Was at Full Speed’: BJP MLA Parag Shah Explains Viral Video of Him Slapping Auto Driver in Ghatkopar

A video of BJP MLA Parag Shah went viral which he was seen slapping an auto-rickshaw driver in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area. Reacting to the viral clip of him, Shah said that he slapped the auto-driver once, but the media showed more.

The incident took place in the afternoon on Mahatma Gandhi Road on Friday, and was captured on a camera since its going viral on social media. In the viral video, it can be seen that Parag Shah stops an auto that was allegedly being driven in the wrong side and slapped the auto-driver during the confrontation. 

Speaking to the news agency IANS, Shah explained that the civilians of Ghatkopar suffered due to traffic and hawkers. He said it has also come to notice that hooliganism has increased in the area. Two days before, people, including him and his workers, had staged a protest in front of Ghatkopar Police Station for law and order.

Also Read | Mumbai: BJP MLA Parag Shah Allegedly Slaps Auto-Rickshaw Driver For Violating Traffic Rules In Ghatkopar (Watch Video).

Because some Autos and hawkers, traffic significantly increased during the evening hours, which creates problems for senior citizens and school students. Every second or third day, an accident took place, Parag told IANS. 

Parag said, "At the same time when protest against breaking traffic rules was going suddenly a rickshaw was coming at full speed and almost ran over a lady, but we managed to stop her. We also informed the rickshaw driver, but he didn’t care, either about me or what was being said, and had no awareness that he was breaking the rules."

Mumbai, Maharashtra: On his viral video slapping an auto driver, BJP MLA Parag Shah says, "A rickshaw was coming at full speed and almost ran over a lady, but we managed to stop her. We also informed the rickshaw driver, but he didn’t care, either about me or what was being said,… pic.twitter.com/x6wTAplqPL

— IANS (@ians_india) December 21, 2025

"The passenger was also asked about it and described what happened. It’s also visible in the video that I wasn’t entirely at fault, but the media is showing one mistake continuously, which is not accurate," he said.

Parag Shah is a member of the BJP and has represented Ghatkopar East in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly since 2019. He previously served as a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). No FIR have been registered against him yet as the police are yet to determine the exact jurisdiction where it took place.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad on Saturday strongly criticised the BJP after a video allegedly showing BJP MLA Parag Shah slapping an auto-rickshaw driver in Ghatkopar went viral on social media.

भाजपचे आमदार इतके माजोरडे झालेत की गरीब रिक्षावाल्याना सोडत नाही. घाटकोपरमध्ये भाजप आमदार पराग शाह यांनी आज एका रिक्षावाल्याला मारले कारण त्याने वाहतुकीचे नियम मोडले. गृहमंत्री यांचा बाप असल्यानेच भाजपचे आमदार कायदा हातात घेतात आणि आता तर रस्त्यावर मारामारी करत आहेत! ही खरी भाजप… pic.twitter.com/FTTxIpXWwg

— Prof. Varsha Eknath Gaikwad (@VarshaEGaikwad) December 20, 2025

In a post on X, Gaikwad accused BJP legislators of misusing power and targeting the poor. She said BJP MLAs had become so arrogant that they were now assaulting auto-rickshaw drivers on the road.