New Delhi: Plumbing new depths of political animosity, rival MPs screamed and shoved in the forecourt of Parliament on Thursday in unprecedented scenes of unruliness, capping three days of acrimonious debate inside the House over preserving the dignity of B R Ambedkar.
Two BJP MPs were hospitalised with injuries as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi became the centre of the ruling party’s accusations, including one by a woman MP who said he “misbehaved” with her.
Delhi Police registered an FIR against Gandhi under various sections after BJP leaders filed a police complaint. A police officer said that all sections in the FIR are bailable except Section 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The sordid incident perhaps without parallel started in the morning as BJP and opposition MPs marched towards each other over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Ambedkar. As the two groups came closer, tempers and voices rose, soon resulting in a melee.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said he was pushed so violently that he lost his balance and sat down. “Now they are the ones who are accusing us of shoving them,” the 82-year-old said.
However, the more apparent injuries were sustained by BJP’s Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, 69, who had to get stitches in the temple. His colleague Mukesh Rajput was also injured in the head.
The Congress vehemently denied the charges. Party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Rahul Gandhi and the others were protesting peacefully, but were prevented from entering Parliament by BJP MPs carrying “sticks”.
The BJP MPs were seen carrying placards pinned to sticks.
“BJP MPs stopped, threatened and intimidated me,” Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress also filed a complaint against the BJP in the Parliament House police station.
BJP MP from Vadodara Hemang Joshi, accompanied by Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, also visited the police station and filed a police complaint against Gandhi for “attempt to murder, physical assault and incitement”.
A Delhi Police officer said the FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi under sections 115 (voluntary causing hurt), 117 (voluntary causing grievous hurt), 125 (act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 131 (use of criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS at the Parliament Street Police station.
The officer said that police are likely to call Gandhi for questioning in connection with the case and will request the Lok Sabha Secretariat to provide the CCTV footage of the area where the alleged incident happened.
Both sides also complained to the respective Chairs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha against each other.
The scuffles and the controversy served to unite the opposition in defending Rahul Gandhi. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said he knew Rahul Gandhi and he would not push anyone.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha, BJP MP from Nagaland S Phangnon Konyak alleged that Gandhi came in her “close proximity” and shouted at her during the protest outside the Parliament’s Makar Dwar which made her feel “extremely uncomfortable”.
In a letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, she claimed that Rahul Gandhi along with other party MPs came in front of her despite there being a passage created for them by security personnel.
“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… I belong to the ST community and I am a lady member. My dignity and self-esteem have been deeply hurt by LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi ji.Therefore, Hon’ble Chairman sir, I seek your protection,” she wrote.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said that he received a communication from Konyak on the incident and she also met him in his chamber. “I am looking into it. She was literally in tears,” he said in the House.
Addressing a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Kharge and Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP is indulging in distraction and said they would continue to protest across the country over Shah’s remarks.
Soon after Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a presser at the BJP headquarters where he squarely put the blame on Gandhi for the fracas.
“Rahul Gandhi does not deserve to hold the post of the Leader of Opposition,” Chouhan said while terming the Congress leader’s behaviour as “indecent and shameful”.
The trouble broke out minutes before both Houses were to convene at 11 am.
A number of MPs of the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were protesting at the steps of Parliament’s ‘Makar Dwar’, an entrance and exit reserved for lawmakers, against the Congress’ alleged insult of Ambedkar, while MPs from the Congress and its allies were demonstrating over Union Minister Home Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar and accused the BJP of slighting the architect of the Constitution.
BJP MPs claimed that Gandhi tried to push his way inside Parliament through the middle of the stairs where they were standing, ignoring a side passage, and caused injuries in the ensuing jostling. However, some opposition MPs claimed that the BJP members refused to give way to Gandhi who was headed to the Lok Sabha to attend the House proceedings.
BJP member Nishikant Dubey accused Gandhi of pushing Sarangi. “Are you not ashamed Rahul, you are resorting to rowdy behaviour (‘gundagardi’). You pushed an old man,” a furious Dubey told Gandhi.
“He pushed me,” Gandhi countered Dubey, walking off after a cursory look at Sarangi, who was being attended to by fellow BJP members. Sarangi was later wheeled off to an ambulance.
“Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP, who fell on me and I got injured,” he told reporters as BJP members squatted at the Makar Dwar raising slogans against the Congress.
Hitting out at Gandhi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said appropriate action would be taken in the matter. “Parliament is not a place to show physical strength. It is not a wrestling ring,” he said.
Dubey told reporters, “I am a four-time MP, I have seen something like this for the first time.”
A number of ruling alliance MPs, including Union ministers, met their injured colleagues.
Both Houses witnessed massive uproar amid ‘Jai Bhim’ chants from both sides and were adjourned without witnessing any transaction. Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a complaint against the BJP MPs.
The Congress and other opposition parties have seized on a part of Shah’s reference to Ambedkar in his Rajya Sabha speech on Tuesday to target the BJP and demand his resignation.
Shah, defended by Modi and other senior members of the BJP and its allies, has accused the Congress of distorting his speech. The BJP has instead cited the alleged insults to Ambedkar and neglect of his legacy during the long years of the Congress rule to launch its counter-protest.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Kharge claimed he was pushed by BJP MPs, lost his balance and was forced to sit on the ground, injuring his knees that have already undergone surgery. He has demanded an inquiry into the “attack”.
MPs of the Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, the Left and NCP(SP), among others, participated in the protests on Thursday. Several opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K Kanimozhi, were seen wearing blue, a colour associated with Ambedkar.
