Conspiracy to save Amit Shah’s skin: Priyanka
NEW DELHI: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday termed the BJP’s allegations that her brother and party leader Rahul Gandhi pushed a BJP MP a “conspiracy to save Home Minister Amit Shah’s skin”. She also accused the ruling party MPs of indulging in “goondagardi” to stop peacefully protesting opposition members from entering Parliament.
A face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left BJP MPS Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput injured. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing 69-year-old Sarangi, a charge rejected by the Congress leader.
Priyanka Gandhi said Rahul Gandhi, carrying B R Ambedkar’s photograph and raising slogan of Jai Bhim, was peacefully going inside Parliament but was stopped from doing so.
“We have been protesting for so many days and there is always space for people to enter freely. Peaceful protests are taking place daily from 10.30 am to 11 am. Today, for the first time, they (BJP MPs) protested and stopped everyone and then indulged in pushing and ‘goodagardi’ (hooliganism)’,” she told reporters in Parliament premises.
Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday dismissed BJP claims that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed MPs during a Parliament protest, alleging instead that BJP MPs had pushed Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, causing him to fall. Gandhi criticised the BJP for blocking MPs from the INDIA bloc from entering Parliament despite peaceful protests. She also challenged BJP MPs to raise the slogan “Jai Bhim” in support of Dalit rights, accusing the party of having “violent intentions” and refusing to acknowledge Babasaheb Ambedkar’s legacy. Priyanka Gandhi reiterated the Congress’s opposition to BJP’s actions, claiming the party insulted Ambedkar and the Constitution by denying the “Jai Bhim” slogan. The Congress leader called for an apology from the BJP for insulting Dalits. The opposition seized on Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar, leading to adjournments in Parliament and calls for Shah’s resignation over his alleged disrespect towards Ambedkar.
