In reaction to Rahul Gandhi’s adamant protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments about BR Ambedkar, the Congress stated Friday that the first information report (FIR) against him in relation to the altercation in Parliament is nothing more than “a diversionary tactic.” Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal described Rahul Gandhi’s case against him for upholding Babasaheb’s legacy as a “badge of honour” in a post on X. “The FIR against Shri Rahul Gandhi ji is nothing but a diversionary tactic in response to his staunch protest against the Home Minister.” Venugopal wrote in the post. “A case against him for defending Babasaheb’s legacy is a badge of honour. And in any case, Rahul ji is already facing 26 FIRs due to the BJP’s political vendetta and this latest FIR will not stop him or the Congress from standing up against the casteist RSS-BJP regime.”
In addition, he questioned why no action had been done in response to the complaint made by female Congress MPs, whereas the Delhi Police had filed a formal case based on a complaint from BJP MPs. “At the same time, why has the Delhi Police not acted on the FIRs filed by women MPs of INC against the BJP leaders who physically assaulted them?” he sought to know.
In relation to the altercation at Parliament that resulted in the injuries of two BJP MPs, the Delhi Police filed a formal complaint against Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi was accused of “physical assault and incitement” during a fight on Parliament grounds in a police complaint filed by the BJP, which also requested his indictment on counts of attempted murder.
BJP MP Hemang Joshi lodged the complaint at the Parliament Street Police Station. He was accompanied by Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj of the BJP. Gandhi has been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections 117 (voluntary causing serious hurt), 125 (act of endangering life or personal safety of others), 131 (use of criminal force), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common aim).
Alleging that BJP leaders had misbehaved with their head, Mallikarjun Kharge, the Congress also filed a complaint at the same police station, requesting a formal charge against them under the “assault, grievous hurt and battery” provisions.
After the Congress and the BJP accused one another of pushing and assault, ugly scenes broke out in Parliament on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, allegedly intimidated a female MP, and two BJP MPs were hurt.
The Congress refuted the allegations and said BJP legislators blocked Rahul Gandhi’s way and pushed Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, injuring him in the knee. Members of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were protesting simultaneously over Amit Shah’s remarks about BR Ambedkar when the controversy broke out close to the steps of Parliament’s Makar Dwar, an entrance and exit designated for lawmakers.
