'Have you learnt Karate to beat up MPs?': Kiren Rijiju to Rahul Gandhi after BJP MP blames LoP for injury

As parallel protests from both the Treasury and Opposition benches continued outside parliament a fresh controversy broke out. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi on Thursday alleged that he was hurt after getting a push from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Singh claimed that he was standing on stairs when another member of Parliament fell on him, leading to an injury on his head.

"Rahul Gandhi pushed a member of Parliament who fell on me after which I fell down...I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me..." Singh told reporters.

As this happened, the BJP MP was rushed for treatment in an ambulance.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said blamed Gandhi for 'seriously injuring' the MPs and sarcastically asked, "Have you learnt Karate, Kung Fu, to beat other MPs?" To bring things into context, Rahul Gandhi holds a a black belt in Aikido, a contemporary Japanese martial art.

Reacting to this, 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). But we do not get affected by jostling. But this is the entrance and we have the right to go in. BJP MPs were trying to stop us from going in..." Gandhi told reporters.

#WATCH | Earlier visuals when Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi moved to the spot where BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi was seated after sustaining a head injury following jostling with INDIA alliance MPs. Sarangi is now admitted to RML hospital for medical treatment.

(Video: BJP leader… pic.twitter.com/LmxhvaykHe

— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024

He added that the central issue remains that the BJP was attacking the Constitution and insulting the memory of Ambedkar.

This comes as the ruling BJP MPs were protesting in the Parliament's premises against the Congress party for "insulting" Babasaheb Ambedkar.

"Babasaheb Ambedkar ji ka apmaan nahi chalega (Insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar ji will not be tolerated)," BJP MPs chanted in the premises while holding banners which read, "Ambedkar showed us the path, Congress misled.

While protesting, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh targeted the Gandhi family, saying that they have all received Bharat Ratna, but didn't give it to Dr Ambedkar.

"Congress party is the biggest sinner for disrespecting Babasaheb. The whole family took the Bharat Ratna and didn't give it to Babasaheb... Congress party should fast for 24 hours and take a vow of silence to atone for their sins," Singh said.

Meanwhile, INDIA Bloc MPs led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi held a protest on Thursday in the Parliament premises and demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Many MPs including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sanjay Raut, Mahua Majhi, and Ram Gopal Yadav were seen wearing blue clothes as a mark of protest against the Home Minister's remarks.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed adjournments, earlier on Wednesday, with the Congress and other opposition members protesting against remarks of Home Minister Amit Shah relating to BR Ambedkar during his attack on Congress in his speech in Rajya Sabha.

The issue snowballed into a major political controversy with the Congress seeking the resignation of Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders attacking the opposition party.

(With inputs from ANI)