Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP, addressing the media about the altercation that took place at the Parliament complex on Thursday. He alleged that the chaos was engineered to divert attention from Adani's indictment in the United States and Shah's remarks on Ambedkar.
Rahul said that the BJP is creating "a new distraction" to divert the public's attention from legal proceedings against "Narendra Modi's friend Gautam Adani."
"They have started a new distraction. All MPs were going to the Parliament House peacefully. The BJP MPs were standing in front of us on the stairs of the Parliament House... they blocked our way... The main issue they are trying to hide is that there is a case against Narendra Modi's friend Adani in the United States... he has been indicted there, and Modi is selling India to Adani... this is the main issue and the BJP doesn't want a discussion on this," Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference in the national capital.
He also added that the BJP needs to distract attention from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar, which had sparked a major row between the opposition and the ruling party.
At the press conference, with a copy of the Constitution in front of him, Gandhi accused the BJP of trying to distract from key issues since the start of the Parliament session. He reaffirmed Congress's position, stating that the BJP’s ideology is "anti-constitutional and anti-Ambedkar" and that the ruling party seeks to diminish Ambedkar’s legacy and contributions.
Rahul Gandhi stated that the Home Minister had exposed a particular mindset with his remarks, adding that the opposition had called for an apology and resignation, but neither occurred. He further claimed that a new distraction was created on Thursday, with opposition MPs heading to Parliament House from Ambedkar's statue, only to be blocked by BJP MPs standing near the stairs with sticks in their hands, preventing them from entering. Gandhi made these comments in Hindi.
"The reality is that he has insulted Ambedkar ji. The Home Minister should apologise and resign," he added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also addressed the press conference, he condemned Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar and the mindset they reflected.
Kharge accused Shah of refusing to acknowledge any wrongdoing, despite the Congress party demanding his resignation and, failing that, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove him from his position. He stated that when it became clear neither of these actions would take place, Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, protested and raised the issue. Kharge also claimed the BJP was attempting to shift attention away from the matter.
The Congress president further alleged that BJP MPs tried to block Congress legislators from entering Parliament and physically attacked them. He said he was also pushed and lost his balance, sitting on the ground. "After this, they are accusing us of pushing people and causing injuries," Kharge added. "They were sitting and mocking us. Many women MPs were with us as well... We will not tolerate this. The movement against Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar will become a nationwide campaign," he concluded.
The aftermath of the alleged scuffle at the Parliament escalated on Thursday, with both parties filing police complaints accusing each other of assault and misconduct after an alleged scuffle outside Parliament.
The altercation stemmed from Amit Shah's remarks in Parliament on Tuesday, where he criticised the Congress for repeatedly invoking B.R. Ambedkar. In his Rajya Sabha speech, Shah said, "If they had taken God's name as many times, they would have earned a place in heaven."
"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 added.
