FIR registered against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly injuring two BJP MPs during Parliament tussle

The two MPs- Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput sustained head injuries during parallel protests from Treasury and Opposition benches outside the Parliament.

Both leaders, one of whom is 69 years old, are in the hospital.

Gandhi has been booked under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita including charges of voluntarily causing grievous hurt, the act of endangering the life or personal safety of others, the use of criminal force, criminal intimidation, and common intention.

The complaint was filed earlier in the day by former Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur, and MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Hemang Joshi, who, among other things, accused Gandhi of an attempt to murder.

Addressing a press conference in the evening, Gandhi said the BJP created chaos at the Parliament complex to distract attention from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'fashion' remarks on Indian Constitution architect BR Ambedkar that ignited a massive row between the Opposition and the ruling party.

In an escalation of the faceoff between the BJP and Congress over Shah's Ambedkar remark row, two ruling party MPs were hospitalised with injuries after Rahul Gandhi allegedly pushed them in parliament on Thursday, media reports said.

The Opposition ramped up its protest earlier in the day in parliament premises with even lawmakers climbing 'Makar Dwar' in a bizarre scene of political slugfest.

In an attempt to clarify the party's stance over the tussle at the Parliament complex on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi addressed the media with a copy of the Constitution placed in front of him.

He said the BJP has been trying to distract from the issues since the Parliament session began.

The Congress has always maintained that the ruling party's thought process is "anti-constitutional and anti-Ambedkar" and wants to erase Ambedkar's memory and contribution, Gandhi said slamming the saffron outfit.

"The Home Minister exposed this mindset (with his remarks). We called for an apology and a resignation, which did not happen. Today, they began a new distraction. Opposition MPs were heading to Parliament House from Ambdekar ji's statue and BJP MPs were standing near the stairs with sticks in their hands, refusing to let us go in," he said.

"The reality is that he (Mr Shah) has insulted Ambedkar ji. The Home Minister should apologise and resign," he added.

Congress President  Mallikarjun Kharge, who also addressed the press conference, said the party condemns Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and the mindset they portray.

"He refused to accept he had done anything wrong. We asked for his resignation and, failing that, for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack him. We realised neither of these things was going to happen, so leaders of our party, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, protested. But the BJP is trying to divert the issue," Kharge said.

He claimed BJP MPs tried to stop Congress legislators from entering Parliament and attacked them. He said he was also pushed and sat on the ground after losing balance.

Slamming the Congress, BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya said on X, "Yesterday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge threatened arson and violence. Today, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi left BJP MP Pratap Sarangi in blood.

"Dr Ambedkar’s seminal ‘Grammar of Anarchy’ speech had warned against this kind of violence in a democracy. Little would he have known that he would be proved prophetic, again."

In a counter-charge, Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla claiming he and Rahul Gandhi were assaulted.

Kharge posted on X, "My letter to the Hon’ble @loksabhaspeaker urging to order an inquiry into the incident which is an assault not just on me personally, but also on the Leader of the Opposition."