'We Thought They Would Apologise, But...': BJP Slams Congress Over Parliament Scuffle

Last Updated:December 19, 2024, 17:24 IST

Dramatic visuals emerged from Parliament on Thursday after a massive showdown between the BJP and Congress MPs over Home Minister Amit Shah's "Ambedkar is the fashion" quip in the Rajya Sabha.

BJP slams Congress over scuffle in Parliament.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday slammed the INDIA bloc led by the opposition parties over the scuffle that took place in Parliament. Questioning Rahul Gandhi over the chaos, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the opposition leaders “Goondas" (Goons) and said that the country will never forget whatever happened in Parliament today.

“Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi just did a press conference. We thought they would apologise for what they did today. But they did not. Their press conference displayed their arrogance. I have been seeing his behaviour. But what he (Rahul Gandhi) did today is unimaginable by a civilised society," Shivraj Chouhan said.

Further accusing Rahul Gandhi of entering the Makar Dwar intentionally, the Union Minister said, “Today when BJP MPs were opposing at the Makar Dwar, Rahul Gandhi came there. Security personnel in fact told them to use the other space on the side to enter. But he came there on purpose."

Meanwhile, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held a press conference just minutes before the BJP and accused the saffron party of trying to erase the memories and contributions of the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar.

Addressing the media, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP MPs of stopping opposition leaders and said, “We were peacefully going to Parliament House from Ambedkar’s statue. BJP MPs did not let us go inside. The reality is that they have insulted Dr BR Ambedkar. The main issue they want to erase is that there is a case against Narendra Modi’s friend Adani in the United States."

The development came after chaos unfolded outside Parliament on Thursday after both BJP and INDIA bloc MPs got engaged in protest, counterprotests, and now a police case against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over remark on BR Ambedkar by Amit Shah in Parliament during a debate on the Constitution.

Chaos In Parliament: What Happened?

Dramatic visuals emerged from Parliament on Thursday after a massive showdown between the BJP and Congress MPs over Home Minister Amit Shah’s “Ambedkar is the fashion" quip in the Rajya Sabha. The protests and counterprotests by BJP and Opposition leaders over Ambedkar row led to injuries to two BJP MPs – Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput.

The pushing and jostling from MPs belonging to both sides led to a chaotic situation, while BJP’s Pratap Sarangi was seen collapsed near the stairs of Makr Dwar, with blood oozing from his head. The 69-year-old MP later alleged that it was Rahul Gandhi who had pushed him.

Following the incident, a BJP MP slammed Rahul Gandhi and said, “Have you no shame? Look what you’ve done. You’ve pushed him." To this, Rahul Gandhi replied, “He pushed me."

The assertion of hurt to BJP MPs was followed by injury claims by the Congress camp too with party president Mallikarjun Kharge stating his knees had been hurt in the protest.

Kharge has also written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to order an inquiry into the BJP MPs “pushing" him, saying it was an assault not just on him but on the Rajya Sabha LoP and the Congress president.

News politics 'We Thought They Would Apologise, But...': BJP Slams Congress Over Parliament Scuffle