Sparring in the Sansad: Assault or Diversion?

The Indian Parliament, the temple of the world’s largest democracy, is no stranger to the exchange of blows and jabs. Albeit one would expect these blows to be those of arguments and counterarguments and not the literal ones. The recent scuffle in the Indian Parliament involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has naturally sparked significant political controversy.

The incident occurred on December 19 during protests related to remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, which many in the opposition deemed disrespectful. Following the altercation, the Delhi Police registered an FIR against Rahul Gandhi, citing charges including voluntary causing grievous hurt and criminal intimidation, based on a complaint from BJP MP Hemang Joshi.

The BJP alleges that Gandhi pushed fellow MPs, leading to injuries sustained by BJP members Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, who were subsequently hospitalised. In contrast, Congress leaders, including Gandhi, have denied these allegations, asserting that it was BJP MPs who obstructed their entry into Parliament and engaged in aggressive behaviour.

The Congress party has also filed a counter-complaint, accusing BJP members of misconduct towards their leader, Mallikarjun Kharge. This incident has intensified the ongoing tensions between the two parties, with both sides accusing each other of using the situation to distract from pressing national issues, including the Adani controversy and the disrespect towards Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. The political fallout from this confrontation continues to unfold, with calls for investigations and demands for accountability from both sides.

Jargon

FIR: First Information Report, a document prepared by police when they receive information about a cognisable offense, initiating the investigation process.
BJP: Bharatiya Janata Party, a major political party in India, currently in power at the national level.
Congress: Indian National Congress, one of the oldest political parties in India, often positioned as the main opposition party to the BJP.

Viewpoints 💭

‘Left’ Viewpoint

Ideological Differences

‘Right’ Viewpoint

The Congress party views the FIR against Rahul Gandhi as a diversionary tactic by the BJP to distract from pressing issues like the Adani controversy and Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr Ambedkar.
Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi, have defended Rahul Gandhi, accusing the BJP of insincere sentiments towards Dr Ambedkar and attempting to suppress opposition unity.
The Congress alleges that BJP MPs physically obstructed and threatened Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, leading to the scuffle in Parliament.
Congress leaders demand an apology and resignation from Amit Shah, framing the incident as a battle between Manusmriti and the Constitution.
The Congress criticises the BJP for using the incident to avoid discussions on important national issues and accuses them of undermining democracy.

The left emphasises the importance of addressing social issues like the Adani controversy and Ambedkar’s legacy, viewing the scuffle as a distraction from these pressing matters.
The right prioritises maintaining order and discipline in parliamentary proceedings, viewing the Congress’s actions as disruptive and disrespectful.
The left accuses the BJP of using the incident to suppress opposition voices and avoid accountability for controversial remarks by Amit Shah.
The right frames the incident as a reflection of Rahul Gandhi’s alleged arrogance and misconduct, demanding accountability and questioning his leadership.
The left views the BJP’s actions as an attempt to undermine democracy and divert attention from important national issues, while the right sees the Congress’s behavior as hypocritical and damaging to democratic processes.

The BJP accuses Rahul Gandhi of inciting violence and physically assaulting BJP MPs, leading to injuries that required medical attention.
BJP leaders demand accountability from Rahul Gandhi, questioning his suitability as Leader of the Opposition following the incident.
The BJP views the Congress’s actions as disruptive and disrespectful to parliamentary proceedings, accusing them of hypocrisy and undermining democracy.
BJP leaders, including Anurag Thakur, have filed complaints against Rahul Gandhi, seeking serious charges for his alleged misconduct.
The BJP criticises the Congress for allegedly misusing Ambedkar’s name and accuses them of staging a drama to divert attention from real issues.

Prominent Voices 📣

From the ‘Left’

From the ‘Right’

Rahul Gandhi (Congress leader): Denied allegations of assault, accusing BJP MPs of blocking and threatening him, and criticised the BJP for diverting attention from key issues like the Adani controversy and Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. ¹ ²
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (Congress MP): Defended Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the BJP’s accusations were a conspiracy to protect Amit Shah and distract from important issues. ³ ⁴
Mallikarjun Kharge (Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha): Alleged physical assault by BJP MPs, criticised BJP for creating distractions, and emphasised the Congress’s focus on people’s issues and defending Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. ³ ⁴
Omar Abdullah (Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister): Defended Rahul Gandhi, asserting that it is not in his nature to be rude or push anyone. ³ ⁵
KC Venugopal (Congress General Secretary): Criticised the FIR against Rahul Gandhi as a diversionary tactic and a badge of honour for defending Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. ⁶ ⁷

Ashok Gehlot (Senior Congress Leader and Former Rajasthan Chief Minister): Alleged a conspiracy to defame Rahul Gandhi and criticised the swift FIR registration and lack of media coverage of BJP’s misbehaviour. ⁸
Pramod Tiwari (Congress MP): Described the incident as a conspiracy against Dalit leader Mallikarjun Kharge and accused the BJP of obstructing Congress MPs. ⁹ ¹⁰
Hibi Eden (Congress MP): Denied allegations against Rahul Gandhi, stating he did not come into proximity with Konyak. ¹¹
Jebi Mather (Congress MP): Alleged that BJP MPs conspired to disrupt a peaceful protest and mistreated Congress leaders. ¹⁰

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Pratap Chandra Sarangi (BJP MP ): Claimed he was injured after being pushed by Rahul Gandhi during the scuffle. ² ¹²
Phangnon Konyak (Nagaland BJP MP): Accused Rahul Gandhi of making her feel uncomfortable during the scuffle. ¹³ ¹⁴
JP Nadda (BJP President): Criticised Congress for hypocrisy and alleged misuse of Dr Ambedkar’s name. ⁷ ⁵
Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Union Minister): Criticised Rahul Gandhi and Congress leaders for their behaviour in Parliament, accusing them of arrogance and hooliganism, and called for an apology. ¹⁵ ¹³
Kiren Rijiju (Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs): Condemned the incident and accused Rahul Gandhi of assaulting BJP MPs. ¹⁶ ¹⁷

Nishikant Dubey (BJP MP): Criticised Rahul Gandhi for allegedly causing harm to an elderly member. ¹⁸ ¹⁹
Bansuri Swaraj (BJP MP): Accused the Congress of murdering democracy and misusing Dr Ambedkar’s legacy. ⁷ ¹⁸