New Delhi [India], December 19 : Congress MPs including KC Venugopal, K Suresh and Manickam Tagore wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and alleged that the INDIA Bloc MPs were physically obstructed from entering and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was physically manhandled by three MPs from the ruling party.
In the letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Congress MPs claimed that they were protesting peacefully and were marching from Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue to Makar Dwar in the Parliament.
"However, as we attempted to enter the Parliament through Makar Dwar, the protesting MPs were physically obstructed from entering. We would also like to bring to your notice that Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition was physically manhandled by three MPs from the ruling party. This is a clear violation of the privileges extended to the Leader of the Opposition and infringes on the rights accorded to him in his official capacity as an MP. Their conduct was not only a blatant assault on the personal dignity of Rahul Gandhi but antithetical to the democratic spirit of our parliament," the MPs said.
"We hope that you will treat this matter with utmost seriousness and take appropriate action," they added.
Earlier today, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and alleged that he was "physically assaulted" by BJP MPs during the protest from both sides in the Parliament over Ambedkar controversy.
In his letter to Birla, Kharge highlighted that their protest march was against the insulting remarks on Dr Ambedkar made by the Union Home Minister in his speech in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, 2024.
Earlier, 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.
However, Rahul denied the allegation and said that he was trying to get inside the 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.
Meanwhile, both Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput have been admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and are being treated for their injuries.