Push comes to shove: Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP MPs of blocking him, BJP cries foul

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday hit back at allegations by the BJP that he had pushed and injured an MP outside Parliament. Gandhi accused BJP MPs of deliberately blocking his path to prevent him from entering the House, adding that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge was also subjected to similar behaviour at the Parliament gate during chaotic scenes triggered by protests from both the ruling party and the Opposition.

Addressing reporters, Rahul Gandhi said, "You might have this on camera. I was simply trying to enter through the Parliament entrance when BJP MPs attempted to block, push, and intimidate me. Yes, they even tried to push Kharge ji. But we are not deterred by jostling. The fact remains that this is the entrance to Parliament, and we have every right to go in. BJP MPs were obstructing us because the central issue here is their attack on the Constitution and the insult to Ambedkar ji's memory."

The incident occurred amidst competing protest marches by the Opposition and NDA MPs within the Parliament premises, which escalated into physical jostling. BJP MP Pratap Sarangi was reportedly injured in the scuffle and taken to hospital with a forehead injury. Sarangi alleged that Rahul Gandhi had pushed him during the chaos.

Responding to Gandhi’s claims, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi rejected the allegations and accused Gandhi of being the aggressor. "There was ample space for him to pass, yet Rahul Gandhi chose to push BJP’s Sambit Patra. This was completely unnecessary. The truth will come out once the CCTV footage is reviewed," Joshi asserted.

The BJP further escalated its criticism, with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju condemning Rahul Gandhi’s alleged actions. "Which law gives Rahul Gandhi the authority to push an MP? Parliament is not a place to display physical strength. Did you learn Karate for this?" Rijiju remarked, adding that BJP MPs do not resort to physical aggression.

The episode has heightened tensions between the BJP and Congress, already at loggerheads over remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week, which the Opposition claims were an insult to BR Ambedkar, the chief architect of India’s Constitution. The Congress continues to demand Shah’s resignation over the controversy, while the BJP accuses the Opposition of misrepresenting Shah’s comments.

As the blame game intensifies, both sides have called for an examination of CCTV footage to establish the facts surrounding the altercation.