Parliament was rocked with protests and bruises on Thursday as Congress and other INDIA bloc MPs agitated against Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his remarks against BR Ambedkar. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge were among the INDIA bloc MPs who protested outside the Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party also staged a counter-protest demanding Congress to apologise for insulting Ambedkar.
The remarks made by Amit Shah on Tuesday have stirred a massive political slugfest. Speaking in Rajya Sabha, the Union minister said that Congress leaders would have got a place in heaven had they chanted the name of God rather than following the "fashion of repeating Ambedkar’s name”.
"Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)," Shah had said.
The comment sparked a massive row as Congress and other opposition parties demanded Shah's resignation for what they called an insult to the architect of the Constitution.
Amid the commotion on Thursday at the entrance of the Parliament building, BJP MP Pratap Sarangi reportedly sustained injury during the INDIA bloc's protest. Sarangi, who was rushed to hospital, alleged he was shoved by Rahul Gandhi which resulted in his injuries.
However, Rahul Gandhi, sporting a blue t-shirt, said he was stopped by BJP MPs at the Makardwar of Parliament. "BJP MPs were pushing and threatening me. There was a lot of jostling," he said.
Another BJP MP, Mukesh Rajput was also reportedly injured during the protest. He was admitted to the ICU ward of RML hospital and his condition was said to be serious.
Amid the ruckus, both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned till 2 pm.