Being a politician isn’t easy and comes with a lot of expectations and responsibilities from the citizens they vow to serve. Since politicians are the public figures for people who are expected to address their problems, they often find themselves on the receiving end of the wrath and anger of the public if they fail to do so. It has happened many times that politicians are hurled abuses at, thrown shoes at and even physically assaulted in public places. 

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Even the biggest and leading politicians have been attacked and assaulted by their own public multiple times including Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal who was slapped and the then PM of India, Dr Manmohan Singh who was almost hit by a shoe flung on him.

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Here are six such incidents where Indian politicians were attacked and assaulted by the public, in public. 

1. Arvind Kejriwal (2019) 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been attacked in public not once but several times. He was slapped by a person during a roadshow in 2019 when a man in a red shirt climbed on the minister’s jeeb and hit him in front of everyone.     

2. Jagan Mohan Reddy (2018)

The YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, before he became the CM of Andhra Pradesh,  was stabbed in the arm (yes, you read that right) at Vizag Airport by a fan who was taking a selfie with him. 

3. Dr Manmohan Singh (2009)

The then Prime Minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh nearly escaped a shoe attack as the target fell short and couldn’t hit him. It happened when a student from the crowd flung a shoe at him during an election rally in Ahmedabad.

4. P Chidambaram (2009)

P Chidambaram was serving as the Union Home Minister in April 2009 when a journalist threw a shoe at him at a press conference. He did it in protest against CBI’s clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 Sikh riots case. 

5. Sharad Pawar (2011)

The NCP Chief Sharad Pawar was the Agriculture Minister in the Congress-led UPA government when he was slapped while exiting the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) headquarters. 

6. Rahul Gandhi (2016)

Another shoe attack was when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was targeted during a roadshow in Uttar Pradesh because the attacker was upset with Gandhi for carrying on with the rallies and not paying tribute to the martyrs of Uri attack. 

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