Kiren Rijiju blames Rahul Gandhi after two BJP MPs injured in chaos outside Parliament

NEW DELHI: After the chaos outside Parliament led to injuries to two BJP MPs and with both BJP and opposition parties accusing each other of instigation chaos, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of committing “physical assault” against two BJP MPs in the Parliament premises.

While condemning the actions of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he said that the show of strength by him and his MPs was “very wrong”. “Makar Dwar is the main entry gate of the Members of Parliament to both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Congress and their other MPs kept on standing in that particular location and they have been showing placards and sloganeering for the entire session”.

#WATCH | MPs of INDIA bloc and BJP came to face at the Parliament premises earlier today while carrying out their respective protests over Dr BR Ambedkar.

INDIA MPs are demanding an apology and resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar… pic.twitter.com/IhryQTbKoQ

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024

“Today, for the first time, the NDA MPs went there to protest against the insult of Ambedkar by the Congress party since 1951…For the first time, the NDA MPs went there to protest. While the NDA MPs were protesting at the Makar Dwar, the main gate, the Congress MPs led by Rahul Gandhi came and assaulted, pushed two MPs of the BJP and pushed around other MPs also. Two of the BJP MPs, Pratap Singh Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, have sustained grievous injury. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi if you resort to this kind of physical violence, if other MPs also start resorting to physical violence, what will happen?” Rijiju said.

“We believe in democracy. Who has given authorisation to Rahul Gandhi to use his physical power against other MPs. It doesn’t mean that the other MPs are weak. It’s only because we believe in non-violence and we believe in democracy.

#WATCH | Delhi | BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi says, “Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP who fell on me after which I fell down…I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me…” pic.twitter.com/xhn2XOvYt4

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024

“Rahul Gandhi’s physical attack against the MPs is condemnable. It is a gross misuse of his anger, his frustration and the way Rahul Gandhi has treated Parliament, shows that Rahul Gandhi doesn’t believe in democracy. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi we will see what appropriate action we can take. But he must tender an apology to the nation that he has used his physical strength against other MPs. We are not retaliating physically only because we believe in democracy. We are not using our physical strength against other MPs because that is not what we believe in. We believe in nonviolence.

“Rahul Gandhi must understand and tender his apology to the nation and to the MPs to whom he has caused the gravest injury. Appropriate action will be taken. First, we will see the level of injury because there was a report that the injury was quite serious and there was some oozing of blood. The medical treatment is now undergoing. We’ll see the condition now”, Rijiju added.

#WATCH | Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi says, “This might be on your camera. I was trying to go inside through the Parliament entrance, BJP MPs were trying to stop me, push me and threaten me. So this happened…Yes, this has happened (Mallikarjun Kharge being pushed). But we do not… https://t.co/q1RSr2BWqu pic.twitter.com/ZKDWbIY6D6

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024

Earlier, as parallel protest from both Treasury and Opposition benches continued outside parliament a fresh controversy broke out. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi alleged that he was hurt after getting a push from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Sarangi claimed that he was standing on stairs when another member of Parliament fell on him, leading to an injury on his head.

“Rahul Gandhi pushed a member of Parliament who fell on me after which I fell down…I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me…” Singh told reporters. The BJP MP was rushed for treatment in an ambulance.

Reacting to this, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his defence, said that he was trying to get inside Parliament when he was also pushed and threatened by the BJP MPs who were protesting near the entrance. He also alleged that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was also pushed.

“This might be on your camera. I was trying to go inside through the Parliament entrance, but BJP MPs were trying to stop me, push me and threaten me. This has happened…Yes, this has happened (Mallikarjun Kharge being pushed). But we do not get affected by jostling. But this is the entrance and we have the right to go in. BJP MPs were trying to stop us from going in…” Gandhi told reporters.

He added that the central issue remains that the BJP was attacking the Constitution and insulting the memory of Ambedkar. This comes as the ruling BJP MPs were protesting in the Parliament’s premises against the Congress party for “insulting” Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Meanwhile, both Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput have been admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital and are being treated for their injuries. Several BJP leaders are at the hospital and are mulling legal action against Congress leaders. (ANI)