Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his support for Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, following allegations made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding an incident in Parliament. Abdullah stated that it is “simply not in [Gandhi’s] nature to be rude or nasty to anyone.”
The controversy erupted after BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing him during a confrontation in the Parliament premises. Sarangi claimed he was injured when another member of Parliament fell on him after Gandhi allegedly pushed him while trying to enter the Parliament. “I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me,” Sarangi told reporters. He was subsequently taken to Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for treatment.
The incident occurred amid protests staged by both NDA and INDIA bloc MPs, leading to a face-off between the two groups. Sarangi’s allegations were met with a response from Rahul Gandhi, who stated that he was also pushed and threatened by BJP MPs while attempting to enter the Parliament. Gandhi further claimed that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge was also pushed during the altercation.
“This might be on your camera. I was trying to go inside through the Parliament entrance, but BJP MPs were trying to stop me, push me, and threaten me,” Gandhi said, addressing reporters. The situation has intensified tensions between the Congress party and the BJP, with both sides exchanging accusations regarding the incident.
