New Delhi [India], December 19 : Delhi Police on Thursday registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, who is also Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, in connection with a scuffle in Parliament with BJP and Congress filing cross-complaints against each other.
Parliament witnessed unprecedented scenes with opposition and BJP-led NDA members holding parallel protests that later led to a face-off. Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge alleged he was pushed, two BJP members were injured.
The scenes outside also found a reflection inside Parliament. Amid sloganeering by Opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Phangnon Konyak said that she "felt very uncomfortable" by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition allegedly coming very close to her and shouting at her while INDIA bloc leaders were going to Parliament during BJP protest.
Konyak referred to parallel protests of INDIA bloc and NDA regarding the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on B R Ambedkar. During the protests, a scuffle broke out and two BJP MPs were injured.
"I say this with a very heart, for which I have already sought your protection, today while protesting, it was a peaceful protest. I was standing just below the staircase of Makar Dwar. Something happened to me and I feel really disheartened. LoP Rahul Gandhi came really close proximity of me, and I really felt uncomfortable, and he shouted at me which I feel is really unbecoming of the leader of Opposition. It is not that I cannot defend myself but still then it is really unbecoming," MP Konyak said in Rajya Sabha.
She sought protection from Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar.
"What I felt that his action today was really bad and I feel disheartened and no lady member, let alone me should be made to feel like this. So therefore I seek your protection in this matter, for which I have already sent a notice to you sir (Rajya Sabha Chairman)," she said.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that Rahul Gandhi and the whole party should seek an apology from the Parliament for allegedly injuring other MPs and making another RS member uncomfortable.
"The way opposition MP (Rahul Gandhi) physically charged a lady member and also injured two other members of the Lok Sabha, that they had to be admitted to the hospital as they were bleeding. I cannot even believe Congress party's behaviour, it is really shameful," Rijiju said.
He further said that the house should never stoop down to such a level that hands are raised on other MPs, and sought an apology from the party."We have the numbers and we are not scared but we do not want to disrespect and bring down the level of the House by pushing anyone around. I am asking with my hands folded, that the whole Congress party should seek an apology from the Parliament, ask for an apology from the country too," he said.
Reiterating that the Parliament should not be like a "wrestling ground," he said that despite having numbers, they do not raise hands on other MPs.
He said, "Parliament is not a wrestling ground, we do not raise hands on other MPs. The way Rahul Gandhi has injured other MPs, our parliament is really angry with it. If we had raised hands on them, what would have happened? We have the numbers."
BJP had filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi under various sections including 109 (attempt to murder), 115 (voluntarily causing grievous 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).
The Delhi Police removed section 109 (attempt to murder) of BNS and all other sections are the same as given in the complaint.
The Delhi Police had also received a complaint from Congress which is being "investigated".
Earlier in the day, BJP leader Anurag Thakur along with fellow MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Hemang Joshi, filed a complaint against Rahul Gandhi at the Parliament Street Police Station for "assault and incitement."
"Today, a highly unfortunate incident occurred in Parliament, perpetrated by the Congress Party and its leader, Rahul Gandhi. Congress and Rahul Gandhi have a habit of violating the law. Rahul Gandhi's arrogance leads him to believe he is above the law," Anurag Thakur said while talking to the reporters.
"We have filed a complaint against him for assault and provocation. The complaint details the incident that took place today outside the Parliament's Makar Gate, where NDA MPs were protesting peacefully, and Rahul Gandhi pushed and injured them. As a result, two BJP MPs had to be hospitalized. Our complaint includes charges under Sections 109, 115, 117, 125, 131, and 351. Despite the incident, Rahul Gandhi's arrogance remained intact as he left without meeting the injured MPs. He considers himself above the law," the BJP MP added.
In his complaint to police, Himang Joshi said NDA members were protesting against blatant "misinformation being propagated by opposition parties"
The complaint said Rahul Gandhi and others violated the instructions of the security personnel to take a dedicated path to ensure the safety concerns of the protesting MPs.
It said the Congress leader instigated other INDIA Alliance members "to proceed with force and aggression toward the NDA MPs, putting the safety of the demonstrators in jeopardy".
"His behaviour constitutes criminal assault, incitement to his fellow companions of committing violence on the peaceful protestors, and endangerment to the lives of public representatives with common intention along with other members belonging to opposition bloc," the complaint said.
BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi earlier alleged that he was hurt after a push from 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..." Sarangi told reporters. The BJP MP was rushed for treatment in an ambulance.
Both the MPs were admitted to Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
A delegation of Congress MPs, including women MPs, also approached Parliament Street Police Station, accusing BJP leaders of misbehaving with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge during a scuffle in the Parliament premises.
Congress leader Digvijaya Singh accused the BJP of resorting to theatrics to divert attention from remarks made about Dr BR Ambedkar. "It is in BJP's character to level false allegations. They (BJP) have orchestrated this 'natak' and 'nautanki' to counter what they have said about Babasaheb Ambedkar... All this happened due to the confrontationist way of BJP MPs. Mallikarjun Kharge was pushed and misbehaved," Singh told reporters.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also claimed that Mallikarjun Kharge was deliberately pushed, describing the incident as a "conspiracy." "The way a Dalit leader was abused the day before yesterday, and today he was pushed--this is all a conspiracy," Tiwari said.
Congress leader ebi Mather alleged that the BJP MPs had conspired to disrupt their peaceful protest. "We were taking out a peaceful march from Babasaheb Ambedkar statue to Makar Dwar. All these days we have been doing peaceful protests. Today, a conspiracy was hatched by the ruling dispensation- BJP MPs, the way they treated Mallikarjun Kharge ji, Priyanka Gandhi ji and other women MPs is unfortunate. They (BJP MPs) wanted to create a scene, and that's exactly what they did," Mather said.
Bharatiya Janata Party and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan aaccused Rahul Gandhi, of behaving like a 'goon' and intentionally causing a disruption during the BJP MPs' protest at Makar Dwar of Parliament leading to a scuffle between the ruling alliance and the opposition.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, Chouhan also criticized Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi following their press conference, claiming that their actions showed a lack of accountability and respect.
Speaking about the incident, Chouhan claimed that security personnel had asked Rahul Gandhi to take a different route to avoid disrupting the BJP MPs' protest at Makar Dwar. However, he claimed that Rahul Gandhi insisted on entering through the main area, deliberately creating a disturbance and disregarding the security protocols.
"Congress President Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held a press conference here just a while ago. We were expecting him to seek forgiveness for the actions they committed in Parliament, but instead, their arrogance was on full display. Today, my mind is upset and heavy with pain. I have been a member of both the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha many times, and I have seen the conduct and behaviour of the MPs and MLAs. What I saw in the Parliament today was unimaginable -- behaviour full of arrogance, arrogance and hooliganism," Chouhan said.
Chouhan further alleged that Rahul Gandhi's actions in Parliament went beyond disruption and escalated into violence. He claimed that BJP MP Pratap Sarangi had fallen and suffered a head injury, while MP Mukesh Rajput had lost consciousness and required an MRI after the altercation.
"Rahul Gandhi behaved like a goon. He started pushing there. Our elderly MP Pratap Sarangi fell and he was seriously injured on the head. He was admitted to the ICU and he is still under treatment. He was unconscious. His NRI scan is being done. Will physical power be used in the Parliament instead of logic? On whatever our Adivasi MP Phangnon Konyak, we are full of pain at what she mentioned. She has complained to the Speaker of the Rajya Sabha. She was treated inappropriately. The Speaker said that she approached him while crying," said Chouhan.
Addressing a joint press conference with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of being "anti-Ambedkar and anti-Constitution and said that BJP MPs tried to stop them while they were trying to enter Parliament premises after their protest and claimed that the ruling party is using such tactics to divert attention from the Adani issue and Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks pertaining to BR Ambedkar.
Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling party MPs of deliberately obstructing the Opposition's efforts to raise issues in Parliament.
"A few days before the Parliament session, the Adani case came up in America and the BJP tried to stop the discussion on it. The basic strategy of the BJP was that there should be no discussion on the Adani case, it should be suppressed. The main issue started with a case against Adani in the US. BJP's strategy was that this issue should not be discussed in the House. After that Amit Shah's statement came. We say that the BJP and the RSS are anti-Ambedkar and anti-Constitutional, their Home Minister said that directly in the House," he said.
"We were going to the House, their MPs were standing at the gate to stop us. The Home Minister should resign and apologise. The government wants to divert attention. The main issue is that Modiji's friend Adani has a case against him in the US, he does not want a discussion on this," Rahul Gandhi added.
Kharge alleged that he was pushed by BJP MPs while he was trying to enter Parliament in what turned out to be face off between Congress and BJP MPs during their protests. Kharge continued his attack on Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks pertaining to BR Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Kharge, who is Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, alleged that Amit Shah interacted with the media yesterday without looking at facts about his remarks pertaining to Ambedkar.
"The statements that the government and especially the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are making about Dr BR Ambedkar are very sad and he (Amit Shah) addressed the press conference yesterday without looking at the facts. They should look at the facts before abusing Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr BR Ambedkar," he said.
Kharge said BJP wants to divert attention from controversy over Amit Shah's remarks.
"We demanded that Amit Shah be sacked; we knew it'll not be done that's why we carried out protests including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other party MPs. We said that he should apologise. BJP wants to divert attention from Shah's remarks on Ambedkar that's why they are raising other issues," he said.
"They (BJP MPs) stopped us at the door and did this to show their muscle power. They forcefully attacked us. I am not in a position to push anyone, but they pushed me. Now they are accusing us that we pushed them...So the kind of environment that the BJP people have created, we will never tolerate it, there will be a nationwide protest against this. The House which was running peacefully, that House was disrupted, the BJP government did the work of disrupting the peace..."
INDIA Bloc MPs held a protest on Thursday in the Parliament premises and demanded the resignation of Amit Shah over his remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar. A protest was also held by BJP members.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed adjournments on Wednesday, with the Congress and other opposition members protesting against remarks of Amit Shah relating to BR Ambedkar during his attack on Congress in his speech in Rajya Sabha.