New Delhi, Nov 24: Gandhian social activist Anna Hazare criticised and condemned the attack on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar by a youth on Thursday.
Interestingly, Hazare's first reaction carried a pinch of salt as he said: "He (Pawar) was slapped? Only one slap."
Later, he said that it was not correct to attack somebody physically.
Hazare said that in a democratic country one should follow the path of 'non-violence'.
Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar was slapped by a youth on Thursday who apparently was protesting price rise and corruption.
He was slapped suddenly by the turbaned youth identified as Harvinder Singh at the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) building in the national capital from where Pawar was leaving after attending a programme.
While Sharad Pawar said he was clueless why the man slapped him, politicians and lawmakers along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned and enquired about the well being of Pawar.
"I was in one function. I had just finished the function and going to the car when a group of journalists asked me some questions. I though the man was a journalist trying come forward to me," said Pawar.
He said he cannot call it a breach of security because he does not take security.
He also refused to react much to the incident. "Why should I react," he said.
The man was also captured on TV footage taking out a sharp weapon (something like a kirpan).
From Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh to Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders condemned the incident.
The PM also spoke to Pawar.