NEW DELHI: Balasore
BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi
on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of inappropriate behaviour during a scuffle outside Parliament building on December 19, likening his actions to those of a “bouncer” rather than a responsible
leader of the opposition
in the Lok Sabha—a position once held by esteemed figures like Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Sarangi, who was injured in the incident, shared his account with reporters after being discharged from the hospital on December 28.
Recalling the incident, Sarangi said, “It happened when we (BJP MPs) were standing near an entry gate, peacefully protesting against the insult of
Dr. Ambedkar
, holding placards.”
“Suddenly, Rahul Gandhi came along with some of his party colleagues and started pushing people to move ahead. He was behaving like a bouncer, not like the Leader of the Opposition in the
Lok Sabha
, a post once occupied by great personalities like Vajpayee ji,” BJP MP added.
Sarangi alleged that Gandhi’s actions caused MP Mukesh Rajput to lose balance and fall, leading to Sarangi’s own injury. “Rajput ji fell on me, and my head struck a hard surface, possibly a stone-like object, resulting in a deep cut,” he recounted, mentioning that his head injury required stitches.
When asked if Gandhi showed concern afterward, Sarangi acknowledged that the Congress leader briefly approached him but left quickly. “He came near me when informed about the incident but displayed no genuine concern. My recovery is due to the blessings of Lord Jagannath,” Sarangi said.
