Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of blocking their peaceful march and diverting attention from the Adani scandal, while BJP leaders alleged aggressive behaviour by Congress MPs, demanding an official inquiry.
Published Dec 19, 2024 | 7:01 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 19, 2024 | 7:20 PM
Congress leaders address a press conference (RahulGandhi/X.com)
Tensions ran high on Parliament premises on Thursday, 19 December, as a heated confrontation between NDA and INDIA bloc MPs escalated, with two BJP MPs reportedly sustaining injuries.
The altercation occurred during parallel protests over Dr BR Ambedkar’s legacy following Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks in Parliament.
Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of blocking their peaceful march and diverting attention from Adani scandal, while BJP leaders alleged aggressive behaviour by Congress MPs, demanding an official inquiry.
BJP MPs Mukesh Rajput and Pratap Chandra Sarangi were reportedly injured during a scuffle with INDIA bloc MPs led by Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and were admitted to RML Hospital.
Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Pralhad Joshi visited the injured MPs. Chouhan accused Gandhi of leading the confrontation.
माननीय श्री @ChouhanShivraj जी ने केंद्रीय मंत्री श्री @JoshiPralhad जी के साथ आज नई दिल्ली स्थित राम मनोहर लोहिया अस्पताल पहुंच कर संसद भवन में राहुल गांधी जी के द्वारा धक्का-मुक्की में घायल भाजपा के वरिष्ठ सांसद श्री @pcsarangi जी और श्री @mukeshrajput_mp जी का हालचाल जाना और… pic.twitter.com/kaGxvvdzK9
— Office of Shivraj (@OfficeofSSC) December 19, 2024
“Rahul Gandhi behaved like a goon. He started pushing. Our elderly MP Pratap Sarangi fell, and he was seriously injured on the head. He was admitted to the ICU and is still under treatment… He was unconscious. His MRI scan is being done,” Chouhan stated during a press conference later.
The confrontation turned into a political slugfest, with accusations flying from both sides. BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak, in an official letter addressed to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, alleged that Rahul Gandhi “misbehaved” with her and invaded her personal space.
“…Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, along with other party members, came in front of me despite there being a passage created for them. He misbehaved with me in a loud voice, and his physical proximity to me was so close that I, being a lady member, felt extremely uncomfortable,” she stated.
FIR must be filed against Rahul Gandhi under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act for allegedly assaulting BJP MP S Phangnon Konyak, a woman and a Tribal leader.
This shameful act also warrants legal action for outraging the modesty and undermining the dignity of a woman… pic.twitter.com/ybeZ8SU2GP
— Pratima Bhoumik (@PratimaBhoumik) December 19, 2024
Congress MP Hibi Eden, who accompanied Gandhi during the protest, submitted a counter-letter calling Konyak’s accusations “fabricated” and a “malicious attempt” to tarnish Gandhi’s image.
“…Let me state at the very outset that I was present with the Hon’ble Leader of Opposition during the entire course of the event, and at no point of time had Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji ever come into proximity with the person who made the allegations.
“The allegation of Shri Rahul Gandhi being insensitive to the rights of women and Scheduled Tribes is yet another bogus claim. At no point did Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji say, act, or express any statement, act or word that proved anathemic to the complainant,” Eden stated.
Addressing a press conference alongside Congress President and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge following the incident, Rahul Gandhi demanded Union Minister Amit Shah’s resignation over his controversial remarks about BR Ambedkar.
He also accused the BJP of attempting to divert attention from pressing national issues, particularly the Adani scandal.
“Today again, they have started a new distraction. We were peacefully going to Parliament House from Ambedkar’s statue. BJP MPs did not let us go inside…The main issue they want to erase is that there is a case against Narendra Modi’s friend Adani in the United States and Narendra Modi is selling India to Adani. This is the main issue, and these people do not want to discuss it,” he said.
कुछ दिन पहले अडानी पर अमेरिका में केस होने का मामला आया, जिस पर पूरे समय BJP ने सदन में चर्चा नहीं होनी दी।
फिर अमित शाह जी का अंबेडकर जी पर बयान आया।
हम शुरू से कहते आए हैं कि BJP-RSS की सोच संविधान विरोधी और अंबेडकर जी के खिलाफ है।
BJP और RSS के लोग बाबा साहेब अंबेडकर जी के… pic.twitter.com/1wV8TlLUjs
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 19, 2024
Kharge also claimed BJP MPs “mocked” and “pushed” women MPs from the INDIA bloc during the march.
“We wanted to enter Parliament, but BJP members came and sat at the gate to stop us. Even the women MPs from the INDIA bloc were prevented from entering.
“They pushed me, causing me to lose my balance and fall, but instead, they are falsely accusing us of pushing them.
“The kind of atmosphere BJP has created in the country today will no longer be tolerated. Because of this, protests are being held across the country today,” Kharge stated.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
