Ambedkar remarks row: Opposition, BJP legislators lock horns at Makar Dwar; ‘Rahul Gandhi stopped from entering Parliament’, say Cong MPs

Though Lok Sabha proceedings resumed at 2 pm amidst ruckus and members not on their seats, it was immediately adjourned for the day by Krishna Prasad Tenneti who was in the chair.

The Congress MPs said they would lodge a complaint to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the unruly conduct of BJP MPs against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. They alleged that BJP legislators stopped Gandhi from entering Parliament.

The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that Rahul Gandhi, while entering Parliament, injured two of their MPs – Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput. Sarangi, who is currently hospitalised, claimed that Gandhi pushed another MP onto him while he was standing near the stairs. Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Pralhad Joshi later visited the injured BJP MPs at RML Hospital.

Congress whip in Lok Sabha Manickam Tagore hit out against BJP MPs’ “shocking behaviour”. “Amid BJP’s theatrics and diversion tactics, we witnessed shocking behaviour today as BJP MPs came armed with RSS lathis and blocked a peaceful march from Babasaheb’s statue. Senior leaders like Kharge ji and women MPs were obstructed. Where is democracy headed? To save Shah, BJP MPs can do anything?” asked Tagore.

While alleging that BJP MPs obstructed him from entering Parliament, Rahul Gandhi said nothing is going to stop him from highlighting the fact that the Constitution is being attacked and Ambedkar was insulted. “I don’t know if you have it on your camera, but at the entrance of Parliament, I was trying to enter when BJP MPs tried to stop me, pushed me, and threatened me… Nothing will happen to us by pushing and shoving but this is the entrance to Parliament, and it is our right to come here… The central issue is that they are attacking the Constitution and are insulting Ambedkar ji’s memory,” Gandhi told reporters at the Parliament complex after BJP members alleged Congress MPs of “misbehaviour”. .

In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, LoP in Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that he sustained injury on his knees after he was pushed by BJP MPs. He has sought an inquiry into the incident.

“This morning INDIA party MPs marched from the statue of Dr. Ambedkar at Prerna Sthal to Makar Dwar. This was to protest against the insulting remarks on Dr. Ambedkar made by the Union Home Minister in his speech in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, 2024,” said Kharge in his letter.

“When I reached Makar Dwar along with the INDIA parties MPs, I was physically pushed by BJP MPs. Thereafter, I lost my balance and was forced to sit down on the ground in front of Makar Dwar. This inflicted an injury on my knees which have already undergone surgery,” he said.

Kharge added that Congress MPs brought a chair and he was made to sit on it. “With great difficulty and with the support of my colleagues, I limped to the House at 11 AM. I urge you to order an inquiry into this incident which is an assault not just on me personally but on the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha and the Congress President,” said Kharge.

The Opposition, cutting across party lines, has demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s “removal” from the Cabinet, accusing him of “insulting” Ambedkar in his remarks in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

A group of Congress MPs, including senior members KC Venugopal, K Suresh and Manickam Tagore, also wrote to Speaker Birla seeking action over the incident.

“We are writing to express our deep anguish regarding INC Members of the INDIA alliance who were peacefully protesting and marching from the Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar statue to Makar Dwar. However, as we attempted to enter the Parliament through Makar Dwar, the protesting MPs were physically obstructed from entering,” said the MPs in their letter.

The Congress MPs also highlighted the incident where Rahul Gandhi was physically manhandled by three MPs from the ruling party. “This is a clear violation of the privileges extended to the Leader of 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 Shri Rahul Gandhi, but antithetical to the democratic spirit of our Parliament,” said the MPs, seeking appropriate action from the Speaker.