A day marked by high drama and heated protests in the Parliament over remarks related to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar saw yet another escalation as BJP MP Mukesh Rajput reportedly sustained severe injuries and was admitted to the ICU at RML Hospital on December 19. The incident occurred amidst ongoing uproar surrounding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial comments on Ambedkar.
This follows an earlier incident involving BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi, who sustained head injuries during a scuffle. Sarangi alleged that Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, pushed another MP, causing a domino effect that led to his own fall and injuries.
#WATCH | TDP MP Appalanaidu Kalisetti meets BJP MP Mukesh Rajput at RML Hospital. He is admitted here after sustaining injuries during jostling with INDIA Alliance MPs.
(Video Source: Appalanaidu Kalisetti) pic.twitter.com/NYS8ZrSNca
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024
“Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP 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,” Sarangi, the Odisha MP, said, recounting the incident. The Congress party, however, refuted the claims, alleging instead that BJP MPs pushed senior Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the Makar Dwar of Parliament.
BIG | BJP MP and former Union minister Pratap Sarangi sustained injuries after Rahul Gandhi pushed another MP, causing them to fall on him. pic.twitter.com/Xb1fWpcpnv
— Organiser Weekly (@eOrganiser) December 19, 2024
Protests Escalate Over Ambedkar Remarks
The turmoil erupted as BJP MPs staged a demonstration in the Parliament premises, raising slogans against the Congress party. Holding banners with messages such as “Ambedkar showed us the path, Congress misled,” they chanted, “Babasaheb Ambedkar ji ka apmaan nahi chalega” (“Insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar ji will not be tolerated”). The protests were a response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s accusations against the Congress during a fiery parliamentary debate, in which he alleged that the party had consistently undermined Dr. Ambedkar’s legacy.
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh launched a scathing attack on the Gandhi family, accusing them of monopolising national honors while neglecting 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,” Singh said, adding, “Congress party should fast for 24 hours and take a vow of silence to atone for their sins.”
JDU MP and Union Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh also weighed in, accusing the Congress of distorting Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements for political gain. Speaking to the media, Singh said, “Mallikarjun Kharge is just one part of it. The entire Congress party is distorting the Home Minister’s speech to create negative publicity. The Home Minister explained with examples in the Lok Sabha how Congress has disrespected Bhimrao Ambedkar. Pandit Nehru was against reservation. Bhimrao Ambedkar got the Bharat Ratna under BJP’s tenure.”
In a counteroffensive, Congress leaders accused the BJP of manufacturing a narrative to divert attention from pressing national issues. They alleged that BJP MPs deliberately provoked confrontations and that the Home Minister’s remarks were part of a broader agenda to misrepresent the Congress party’s historical contributions.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing a press conference on Wednesday evening, accused the Congress of being “anti-Ambedkar and anti-Constitution.” Shah claimed his statements were deliberately “presented in a distorted manner” and reiterated his point that Congress had long marginalised Ambedkar’s contributions.
