"To save Amit Shah...": Priyanka Gandhi Accuses BJP of Conspiracy, Calls Parliament Clash "Hooliganism"

In light of the chaos that erupted outside Parliament, between MPs from NDA and the INDIA bloc over Home Minister Amit Shah's controversial remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday accused BJP of orchestrating a conspiracy to defame her brother, Rahul Gandhi. She condemned BJP's actions calling it "hooliganism." The Wayanad MP also issued a challenge to BJP MPs, saying, "I challenge the BJP MPs to chant 'Jai Bhim'."

"Rahulji, carrying a photo of Dr. BR Ambedkar and saying 'Jai Bhim', was peacefully entering Parliament," she said. "You can see who stopped him... we have been protesting for many days and always give way to people. But today, when they protested, there was hooliganism," said Vadra.

She further accused the BJP of using the incident to protect Amit Shah. "To save Amit Shahji, they have started this conspiracy that bhaiyya pushed someone," said the newly elected Congress MP. "Before my eyes, Khargeji was pushed and fell to the ground. After that, a CPM MP was pushed and he fell on Khargeji. All of this is a conspiracy. BJP's real sentiment was seen today," she added.

The altercation outside Parliament erupted amid a standoff between BJP and opposition MPs over Shah’s recent comment regarding Dr Ambedkar. Shah had remarked during a debate that it had "become the fashion to say 'Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar...,'" prompting a furious response from opposition parties, who demanded Shah's apology and resignation.

The clash on Thursday morning began after BJP MPs, including Pratap Chandra Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing them, leading to injuries. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju led the BJP's charge against Gandhi, questioning, "Have you learned karate, kung fu, to beat other MPs?"

Rahul Gandhi, however, defended himself, claiming that it was a group of BJP MPs who had blocked his entry into Parliament and threatened him. "I was trying to enter Parliament when BJP MPs confronted me," he explained. "They pushed and threatened me. Even Khargeji was pushed," said the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

The situation soon spiraled, with both sides trading allegations of misconduct. The BJP filed a police complaint against Rahul Gandhi, while women MPs from both parties accused each other’s members of misbehavior. Nagaland BJP MP Phangnon Konyak accused Rahul Gandhi of inappropriate behavior, prompting Congress women MPs to march to the Parliament Street Police Station with similar accusations against male BJP MPs.​