New Delhi: As protests by the opposition at the parliament against Amit Shah’s comments on Dr B.R. Ambedkar gained eyeballs, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Thursday issued strict instructions banning political parties and all members of parliament (MPs) from holding dharnas (sit-ins, or demonstrations) at the gates of the Parliament House, reports said, quoting parliament sources.
The decision came on a day on which there was a face-off between MPs of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and those in a Congress-led opposition protest. The protests turned into scuffle, resulting in injuries to two BJP MPs and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“No member, group of members or political parties shall hold any dharna or demonstration at any of the gates of Parliament House,” officials were quoted as saying to Press Trust of India.
The opposition has been protesting over several issues including the industrialist Gautam Adani’s indictment by the United States, the Manipur violence, and recently, over Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks that it has become a “fashion” to bring up Dr BR Ambedkar during parliament debates. Two privilege motion notices were filed against Shah by the opposition over the remarks.
Also read: In Parliament, BJP Shows That it Can Bury Any Issue With Violence
The BJP has claimed that its MPs — Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput — were “pushed” by the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, during yesterday’s protest, which allegedly caused Sarangi to fall and hit his head, while Rajput also sustained injuries.
Shortly after the incident, BJP MP Hemang Joshi, accompanied by party leaders Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, filed a complaint against Gandhi at the Sansad Marg police station for “physical assault and incitement”, endangering life and criminal intimidation. The Delhi Police lodged an FIR against Gandhi and others in connection to the scuffle.
Also read: Who Insulted Dr. Ambedkar?
Meanwhile, Phangnon Konyak, BJP MP from Nagaland, filed a complaint with the Rajya Sabha chairman that Gandhi and several other Congress members misbehaved with her and made her feel “uncomfortable” when she was protesting outside the parliament.
This comes amid a washout throughout the winter session over the opposition’s demands to discuss the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur.
Gandhi has denied the allegations. The Congress has filed a counter complaint with the police alleging that the BJP MPs pushed party president Mallikarjun Kharge and “physically manhandled” Gandhi.
“We were peacefully protesting in a line, but they stopped us at the Makar Dwar gate. To show their muscle power, they brought many male MPs. We had our female MPs with us, and they were also stopped,” Kharge said at a press conference.
Other Congress leaders backed Gandhi, saying that the BJP’s allegations were part of a conspiracy. Kharge has also submitted a letter to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla alleging “physical assault” by BJP MPs.
Both BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Congress-led INDIA bloc have also organised protests today on the last day of the winter session. While the Congress continues protest over the home minister’s remarks on Dr Ambedkar, the BJP is protesting over yesterday’s events.
