Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi has lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of behaving like a “bouncer” during a scuffle in Parliament rather than upholding the decorum expected from a Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Sarangi’s remarks came after he sustained injuries in the December 19 incident.
Speaking to the media, Sarangi, who was hospitalized following the altercation, said he is now recovering and was discharged on December 28. Recounting the sequence of events, he claimed, “We (BJP MPs) were peacefully protesting near an entry gate of the Parliament with placards against the insult of Dr. Ambedkar when Rahul Gandhi, accompanied by his party colleagues, suddenly started pushing people to move ahead.”
According to Sarangi, Gandhi’s actions were disruptive and unnecessary, as there was ample space near the gate for him to pass without creating chaos. “Gandhi pushed MP Mukesh Rajput, who fell onto me, causing my head to strike a hard object, which led to my injury,” Sarangi alleged.
Sarangi further criticized Gandhi’s response to the incident. “After someone informed him of the injury, he came near me but left quickly without showing any genuine concern,” he added.
The BJP MP contrasted Gandhi’s behavior with the legacy of former leaders like Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who once held the position of Leader of the Opposition. “This role demands statesmanship and dignity, not the conduct I witnessed that day,” he said.