Parliament LIVE | BJP MPs, armed with sticks, blocked us, says Rahul

The row over Amit Shah’s controversial remark on BR Ambedkar continued on Thursday (December 19), with Congress president and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge submitting a privilege notice against Shah, both the ruling NDA and Opposition MPs holding protests within the parliament premises, and two BJP MPs landing in hospital after being injured in the melee.

Trouble began when INDIA bloc members insisted on entering Parliament through the BJP MPs holding a protest instead of using the space left empty on one side of the staircase of the Makar Dwar, used by members to enter and exit the building. Pratap Chandra Sarangi (69), former minister and a BJP MP from Odisha’s Balasore, suffered injuries on the left temple of his forehead as he fell in the melee.

Also watch: Amit Shah’s ‘Ambedkar’ remark adds fuel to Congress’s Constitution narrative

Exchange of allegations

The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge he rejected. “Are you not ashamed Rahul? You are resorting to rowdy behaviour (gundagardi). You pushed an old man,” a furious Nishikant Dubey charged. “He pushed me,” Rahul retorted, walking off after having a cursory look at Sarangi, who was being attended to by fellow BJP members.

Sarangi was later wheeled off to an ambulance and taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for treatment. “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.

The other MP Rahul allegedly pushed, who apparently fell on Sarangi, was Mukesh Rajput, BJP MP from UP's Farrukhabad. He reportedly fell unconscious as his blood pressure shot up.

Rahul told reporters in Parliament premises: “I was trying to enter Parliament and the BJP MPs were stopping me, pushing me and threatening me.”

Also read: Amit Shah's remarks reflective of BJP's 'old mentality': B R Ambedkar's grandson

Rijiju promises “appropriate action”

Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Pralhad Joshi later met Sarnagi in hospital. Chouhan told TV reporters that Sarangi received a few stitches to stop the bleeding. “Appropriate action will be taken after examining the injuries suffered by Sarangi,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said.

Congress MPs met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and submitted a complaint against the alleged unruly conduct of BJP MPs against Rahul Gandhi and stopping him from entering the Parliament. In the letter, Congress president Mallikarjun 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.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned following noisy protests by the Opposition seeking an apology from Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar.

Also read: Stalin takes veiled swipe at BJP, PM for attacking Congress, Ambedkar

Privilege notice against Shah in RS

Earlier, dressed in blue, a colour associated with Ambedkar, INDIA bloc MPs, including Kharge and Rahul, staged a protest in the Parliament premises demanding Shah’s resignation for his remarks on the chief architect of the Constitution.

BJP-led NDA parliamentarians also carried out protests within Parliament premises, raising slogans and carrying placards demanding an apology from the opposition Congress for allegedly insulting Ambedkar.

During the day, Kharge also submitted a privilege notice against Shah in the Rajya Sabha for his remarks against Ambedkar. In his notice submitted to the RS Chairman, Kharge alleged that the remarks were an insult to the architect of the Constitution and amounted to breach of privilege and contempt of the House.