A video of Congress MPs Shyamkumar Barve and Pratibha Dhanorkar has gone viral on social media causing a row in the party. The footage (which was apparently shot inside a bus on November 1) shows Barve slapping Dhanorkar as several party leaders were travelling to Delhi for a Congress rally.
The incident has been brought to light after some Congress functionaries reportedly complained against it to the party’s top leadership and sought disciplinary action but both MPs have said that the interaction was during “off the record” conversations between colleagues.
What Does the Viral Video Show?
The video which is less than 10 seconds long was reportedly shot on November 1 when Congress MPs were travelling by bus to the ‘Vote Bachao, Desh Bachao’ rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
🚨 A video is going viral showing Congress MP Shyamkumar Barve slapping fellow MP Pratibha Dhanorkar on a bus. They were going to a party rally in Delhi on November 1. Barve says it was just a playful gesture while asking her to shout slogans louder. He says they are like family and he did not mean to hurt her. Dhanorkar has said they were joking with each other. Some Congress members have complained to party leaders and asked for action against him. https://t.co/kB4UnByBSK
— InsightRadar (@InsightRadarX) November 4, 2026
In the viral video Ramtek MP Shyamkumar Barve is standing beside Chandrapur MP Pratibha Dhanorkar who was seated. He seems to slap her during their conversation.
The short clip doesn’t show the full conversation or how the gesture came about. Its circulation on social media has raised questions about what happened and how the MPs behaved.
What Did Shyamkumar Barve Say?
Responding to the controversy, Barve said that it was just a game and not an attempt to hurt Dhanorkar.
He said Dhanorkar was like a younger sister to him and they were joking with each other. He explained that the gesture took place during informal banter related to slogans being raised during rally preparations.
Barve also said the video was being used to create a misleading narrative and damage his reputation. He questioned whether the complaint sent to Congress leaders was genuine and said he would seek an inquiry into the email.
Pratibha Dhanorkar Responds to the Incident
Pratibha Dhanorkar has also spoken about the controversy over the video. In her clarification she said Barve had not assaulted her and he had not hit her either.
She said the exchange was made in jest and asked that it not be used to defame either of them.
Her clarification has given context to the conversation but the short viral clip itself doesn’t give us the full story of what happened.
Congress Functionaries Reportedly Seek Disciplinary Action
The video has also upset some Congress functionaries. Some party members have reportedly sent emails to senior leaders of the Congress — president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and general secretary K. C. Venugopal.
The complainants reportedly said that the conduct shown in the video could damage the party’s public image and called for action to maintain organisational discipline and respect for women representatives.
However Barve has denied the authenticity of the email and said it was part of an attempt to malign him. The complaint and authorship claims have not been independently verified.
No Confirmed Disciplinary Decision Yet
The incident has drawn attention to an exchange between two elected representatives while on the way to a political rally. Some party functionaries reportedly called for action but both MPs have said it was joking or informal.
As of November 4 there has been no confirmation from Congress leadership on a disciplinary action. It has also received much wider attention because the video circulating does not give the whole story of what happened.
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