New Delhi, December 19: Tensions between the BJP and Congress escalated on Thursday as both parties filed cross-complaints with the Delhi Police following an alleged scuffle on Parliament premises.
BJP MPs, led by Union Minister Anurag Thakur, accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of "assault and incitement," claiming the incident disrupted the parliamentary proceedings.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress MPs, including women leaders, filed their own complaint, alleging misconduct by BJP members, particularly towards Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
Speaking to reporters, Congress MP Digvijay Singh criticized the BJP, accusing them of orchestrating the altercation to distract from controversial remarks about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. "This is BJP's trademark strategy—false allegations and theatrics. Mallikarjun Kharge was pushed and misbehaved with," he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari described the incident as a deliberate "conspiracy" against Kharge. "A Dalit leader was abused earlier, and now he was physically pushed. This is no coincidence," Tiwari remarked.
Congress MP Jebi Mather also alleged premeditation on the part of BJP MPs. "We were holding a peaceful march from the Ambedkar statue to Makar Dwar. BJP MPs deliberately disrupted it, mistreating Kharge ji, Priyanka Gandhi ji, and other women MPs," she stated.
Both the NDA and INDIA bloc MPs had staged a protest in Parliament premises, when a scuffle broke out between the two sides, injuring two BJP MPs.
BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi alleged that he was injured after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed another MP, who then fell on him. Sarangi claimed that he was standing near the stairs when another member of Parliament (MP) fell on him, leading to an injury on his head.
He was rushed for treatment in an ambulance. "I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed a fellow MP. That MP fell on me, causing me to fall as well," Sarangi told reporters.
Both the MPs were admitted to Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Reacting to the allegations, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in his defence, said that he was trying to get inside the Parliament when he was also pushed and threatened by the BJP MPs who were protesting near the entrance. He also alleged that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was also pushed.
"This might be on your camera. I was trying to go inside through the Parliament entrance, but BJP MPs were trying to stop me, push me and threaten me. This has happened...Yes, this has happened (Mallikarjun Kharge being pushed)," Rahul Gandhi told reporters.
The altercation reportedly injured two BJP MPs and further deepened the rift between the ruling NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc, both of which had been staging separate protests in Parliament premises.
Police are investigating complaints from both sides as the political standoff shows no signs of easing.
