BJP Rajya Sabha MP S Phangnon Konyak has accused Congress Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi of misbehavior that allegedly left her “deeply hurt” and “disrespected.” The shocking allegation, which has sent shockwaves through political circles, involves an incident on December 19, at the Makar Dwaar entrance of Parliament, where Konyak claims Gandhi’s actions were not only disrespectful but also made her feel extremely uncomfortable due to his proximity and behavior.
In a formal letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, Konyak, a woman MP from Nagaland and President of BJP’s Mahila Morcha in the state, detailed a harrowing encounter with Rahul Gandhi, who she says crossed a security cordon, positioned himself in front of her, and verbally confronted her in a manner she found disturbing.
Rajya Sabha MP S Phangnon Konyak writes to the Chairman Rajya Sabha alleging misbehaviour by Congress MP and LoP Rahul Gandhi with her.
"My dignity and self-esteem has been deeply hurt by LoP Rahul Gandhi," she writes in the letter to Chairman Rajya Sabha. pic.twitter.com/zPOI5FeR6d
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2024
Describing the incident, Konyak wrote, “I was standing just below the staircase of Makar Dwaar with a placard in my hand. The Security Personnel had cordoned and created a passage to the entrance for the moment of Hon’ble MPs of other parties. Suddenly, Leader of Opposition, Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji along with other Party Members came in front of me despite there being a passage created for them. He misbehaved with me in a loud voice, and his physical proximity to me was so close that I, being a lady member, felt extremely uncomfortable.”
Konyak’s letter expresses her utter dismay over the incident, stating that Gandhi’s behavior violated the very core of parliamentary decorum. She emphasised that as a woman from the Scheduled Tribe community in Nagaland, the encounter was deeply personal and upsetting. “I belong to the ST community of Nagaland, and I am a lady member. My dignity and self-esteem have been deeply hurt by LoP Shri Rahul Gandhi ji,” Konyak wrote, appealing to the Chairman for her protection. She further expressed her frustration, saying, “I stepped aside with a heavy heart and denounced my democratic rights, but no Member of Parliament should behave this way.”
The BJP MP also expressed her discomfort in a media interaction, stating, “He came too close. I did not like it, and he started shouting. Whatever happened today is very unfortunate; this should not happen. We did not appreciate the way they threatened us.” Her statement paints a vivid picture of what she described as an unprovoked confrontation, one that left her shaken and questioning the behavior of her colleague in Parliament.
Konyak’s protest, which was sparked by what she deems as Congress’s mistreatment of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of India’s Constitution, she was holding a placard at Makar Dwaar, located at the main entrance of the Parliament building, where security personnel had set up a designated passage for MPs. According to Konyak, despite the passage, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress members barged in, deliberately placing themselves in front of her.
Earlier in the day, BJP and I.N.D.I Alliance MPs clashed over accusations of Congress undermining Ambedkar’s legacy. Several BJP MPs, including Konyak, claimed that they were physically pushed and injured by Rahul Gandhi’s supporters during the scuffle.
