Hyderabad: The deputy speaker of Telangana Assembly, Padma Rao Goud, kicked up a row after a video of him stuffing cash into a child’s mouth went viral. The incident is reported to have happened when the child was playing drums during Bonalu celebrations in Secunderabad.
In his defence, Goud said he wanted to give the money to the child as a mark of appreciation. However, the children’s rights activists slammed Goud saying the child could have been suffocated.
Goud, who represents Secunderabad, reportedly pushed wads of Rs 500 notes in the child’s mouth while the child kept playing the drums.
Activists questioned Goud and said he could have waited for the child to finish playing or given him the money in his hand or kept it in his pocket.
Meanwhile, Goud hit back at the critics and asked what was wrong in his actions.
"Had I burnt the currency notes or destroyed it, it would have been an offence or a punishable crime. Is rewarding a child with some money a crime? I put money three or four times, showing my appreciation. How can that be construed as wrong?" Goud was quoted as saying by the Times of India. He said it is the part of the culture in Telangana to show appreciation by giving money. “It is common in Indian society even during marriages. I was impressed with the boy playing the drums and rewarded him," Goud said.
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