Fri Dec 20 08:33:43 UTC 2024: ## Rahul Gandhi Faces New FIR After Parliament Clash; Congress Calls it Political Vendetta

**New Delhi:** A fresh FIR has been filed against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging he pushed BJP MPs during a protest within Parliament premises, injuring two. The incident, which led to a war of words between the BJP and Congress, saw BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput hospitalized following the alleged altercation.

The BJP, led by Anurag Thakur, claims Gandhi ignored security protocols, leading to the confrontation. Thakur described Gandhi’s actions as “arrogant” and a breach of the law. However, the Congress vehemently denies the allegations, with party president Mallikarjun Kharge claiming *he* was pushed by BJP MPs. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra further alleged that BJP MPs wielding sticks blocked Gandhi’s path. The Congress has filed a counter-complaint, accusing BJP MPs of instigating the violence.

Congress leader KC Venugopal dismissed the FIR as a “diversionary tactic” aimed at deflecting attention from Gandhi’s protests against the Home Minister. He highlighted the numerous FIRs already filed against Gandhi, describing them as politically motivated. He also questioned the Delhi Police’s inaction on complaints filed by Congress women MPs alleging assault by BJP leaders during the same incident.

The incident has sparked a wider controversy. Nagaland MP S Phangnon Konyak alleged that Gandhi behaved inappropriately towards her during the altercation. Separately, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey filed a breach of privilege notice against Gandhi, accusing him of sharing a deceptively edited video of Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech. The edited video, according to Dubey, misrepresented Shah’s remarks on Dr. Ambedkar.

Support for Gandhi came from National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who expressed disbelief that Gandhi would resort to pushing others. The accusations and counter-accusations highlight the escalating tensions between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.

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