Mallikarjun Kharge writes to Lok Sabha Speaker after Parliament showdown: 'I was physically pushed by...'

Shortly after two BJP MPs were admitted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital after being injured in the chaos outside Parliament, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and alleged that he was "physically assaulted" by BJP MPs during the protest from both sides in the Parliament over Ambedkar controversy.

In his letter to Birla, Kharge highlighted that their protest march was against the insulting remarks on Dr Ambedkar made by the Union Home Minister in his speech in the Rajya Sabha on December 17, 2024.

"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 injury on my knees which have already undergone surgery. Subsequently, Congress MPs brought a chair and I was made to sit on it. With great difficulty and with the support of my colleagues, I limped to the House at 11 AM," Kharge said in his letter.

"1 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," he demanded.

As per the sources, Congress MPs are also giving a complaint to the Lok Sabha Speaker about the unruly conduct of BJP MPs against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for stopping him from entering the Parliament, against the ruling of the Speaker. The Speaker ruled four days ago that no one should block the MPs' entrance.

Congress MP KC Venugopal claimed that the Congress President was pushed from entering the House by the BJP MPs.

"Today, after our peaceful dharna at Prerna Sthal and a walk around Samvidhan Sadan carrying posters, we were shocked to witness BJP MPs blocking entrances with sticks attached to posters. Strangely, no security guards were present despite this being a total violation of the Speaker's directives. In a disgraceful turn of events, the stick-wielding BJP MPs pushed the Congress President, a senior and respected leader, while the LOP in Lok Sabha was also prevented and pushed from entering the House," he said.

"These unruly BJP MPs were clearly the ones responsible for vitiating the atmosphere and lowering the dignity of Parliament. No theatrics or trickery will save them from accountability for the disrespectful comments made by Amit Shah against Babasaheb Ambedkar," he added.

Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi alleged that he was hurt after getting a push from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Sarangi 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. The BJP MP was rushed for treatment in an ambulance.

Meanwhile, both Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput have been admitted to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and are being treated for their injuries.

Medical Superintendent Ajay Shukla said that both of the leaders suffered head injuries and have been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

"Tests will be done. Symptomatic treatment has begun. Since both of them suffered head injuries, they were admitted to the ICU. Pratap Sarangi was experiencing heavy bleeding and he had suffered a deep cut. So, he had to be stitched up. His evaluation is in progress. Mukesh Rajput had fallen unconscious. Right now, he is conscious but he is dizzy and anxious. His BP had shot up," he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)