Parliament LIVE | Delhi police book Rahul Gandhi for scuffle in House
Such a chaotic day in Parliament: Heated arguments, scuffle, complaints, FIRs, and 2 MPs in hospital
The Congress on Thursday (December 19) accused the BJP of diverting attention from the issue of Home Minister Amit Shah's "insult" to BR Ambedkar as well as the Adani issue, and said Shah must resign and apologise for his remarks.
Addressing a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters in Delhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condemned Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and said they would continue to protest across the country.
"The BJP wants to divert attention from Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and that is why they are raising other issues," Kharge told reporters. He said they (Congress leaders) were only demanding the resignation of Home Minister Shah and were protesting "in support of our demands, but the BJP MPs blocked us from entering Parliament". He said they will run a nationwide movement on Ambedkar issue.
Meanwhile, a case has been filed against Rahul Gandhi for the scuffle in Parliament, in a late-night development. (Details below in our Live)
Earlier, the row over Shah’s controversial remark on Ambedkar continued on Thursday, 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 -- Mukesh Rajput and Pratap Chandra Sarangi -- 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.
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
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Live Updates
- 19 Dec 2024 4:44 PM IST
RS deputy chairman dismisses Opposition notice seeking removal of VP Dhankhar: Sources
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh on Thursday dismissed the impeachment notice given by the Opposition seeking the removal of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar while ruling it as an act of impropriety, being severely flawed and drawn in haste to mar his reputation, sources said.
In his ruling, which was tabled in the House by Rajya Sabha secretary general P C Mody, the deputy chairman said the impeachment notice is part of a design to denigrate the nation's constitutional institutions and malign the incumbent Vice President, the sources said.
At least 60 opposition members had signed the notice for removal of Dhankhar from his post on December 10, alleging that they did not have trust in him and that he was "biased". The notice was moved by the opposition members under Article 67(b) of the Constitution as intention of a no-confidence motion against the Vice President of India.
The deputy chairman ruled that the gravity of this "personally targeted" notice which is bereft of facts and aimed at securing publicity.
He also held that the notice was a "misadventure" in "deliberate trivialising and demeaning" of the high constitutional office of the Vice President of the largest democracy.
Worrisomely for the prestige of Parliament and its members, the notice is replete with assertions only to malign the incumbent Vice President, the deputy chairman ruled, the sources added.
The deputy chairman in his ruling said the notice invoked Article 67(b) peremptorily mandates 'at least 14 days' prior notice for any resolution contemplating the Vice President's removal.
Thus the December 10, 2024 notice of intention could permit such a resolution only after December 24, 2024, he noted, adding that the current 266th session of the Council of States, as notified on November 6, 2024, commenced on November 25 and is scheduled to conclude on December 20, 2024, as known to all signatories.
In full know of the situation that the resolution cannot be brought during this session, this was initiated only to set a narrative against second highest constitutional office and the Vice President, the deputy chairman said in his ruling.
- 19 Dec 2024 4:38 PM IST
Parliament scuffle: Congress files police complaint alleging misbehaviour with Kharge
The Congress filed a complaint at Parliament Street Police Station on Thursday alleging BJP leaders misbehaved with its chief Mallikarjun Kharge, an officer said.
The delegation of Congress MPs, including Digvijaya Singh, Mukul Wasnik, Rajiv Shukla and Pramod Tiwari, filed the complaint visiting the station in person, the officer said.
A delegation of BJP leaders was still inside New Delhi DCP Devesh Kumar Mahla's office there, when the Congress leaders came with their complaint and were asked to wait inside the ACP's room.
A senior officer said police have received the complaint and are looking into it.
"Eighty-four-year-old Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge was pushed and misbehaved with. We have come here to file a complaint against this act," Tiwari told the media at the station.
Earlier in the day, a face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar injured former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi.
The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge the Congress leader rejected.
The Congress also claimed that BJP MPs pushed its chief Mallikarjun Kharge and "physically manhandled" the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress MPs asked him to order an investigation into the incident. PTI ALK BM ALK VN VN
- 19 Dec 2024 4:36 PM IST
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid ruckus over allegations of misconduct against Rahul Gandhi
Rajya Sabha proceedings were disrupted on Thursday due to protests by the treasury benches, which alleged misconduct by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi towards BJP MPs, and the opposition parties which demanded a discussion on Union Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar.
Treasury bench members started sloganeering to demand action against the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, after BJP member S Phangnon Konyak alleged that he shouted at her when she was protesting on the Parliament premises.
As BJP leaders alleged that two other MPs were injured due to Gandhi's actions and expressed outrage at his conduct, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar said Konyak had met him in his chamber and he was looking into her complaint.
DMK leader Tiruchi Siva contested the allegations against Gandhi and added that the Congress leader has said that he was pushed by ruling party members.
"Today while protesting, it was a peaceful protest. I was standing outside just below the staircase of Makar Dwar. Something happened to me for which I feel really disheartened. Leader of Opposition of Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi ji came in very close proximity to me. I really felt very uncomfortable and he started shouting at me which I felt is very unbecoming of a leader of the opposition," Konyak said.
The BJP MP from Nagaland said that she could have defended herself but did not do so.
"His action was really bad and I feel disheartened and no lady member, let alone me, an ST(scheduled tribe) member from Nagaland, should not be made to feel like this. So I seek your protection for this letter for which I have already shared notice to you,” Konyak.
She was given a chance to speak after Rajya Sabha Secretary-General PC Mody laid a copy of the ruling on the no-confidence motion against Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar without reading out the ruling.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju alleged Rahul Gandhi had “pushed” a female MP and “charged" at her "physically”. He said that Rahul Gandhi pushed two more members with such force that they were bleeding and had been hospitalised.
- 19 Dec 2024 4:34 PM IST
NDA MPs file police complaint against Rahul Gandhi over Parliament scuffle
Three NDA MPs, including Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, have filed a police complaint against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of being involved in "physical assault and incitement" during a scuffle at Parliament, an officer said.
Thakur and Swaraj, accompanied by a TDP MP, gave the met the officers at the Parliament Street Police Station and gave a written complaint.
"We have filed a complaint against Mr Rahul Gandhi for physical assault and incitement," Thakur told media, outside the police station.
Earlier in the day, a face-off at the Parliament entry steps between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi injured.
The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge rejected by the Congress leader.
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said BJP MP Mukesh Rajput was also injured in the melee.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Sarangi and Rajput and enquired about their health after they sustained injuries in the Parliament complex, sources said.
A senior officer said police have received the complaint and are looking into it.
- 19 Dec 2024 4:19 PM IST
BJP MP Hemang Joshi lodges FIR against Rahul Gandhi
BJP MP Hemang Joshi's FIR against Rahul Gandhi invokes criminal charges of voluntarily causing hurt, voluntarily causing grievous hurt, endangering life and personal safety of others, use of criminal force and criminal intimidation.
