The Congress termed the FIR against Rahul Gandhi as a "badge of honour," accusing the BJP of political vendetta. The Congress leader KC Venugopal said the case was a diversionary tactic to suppress Gandhi's protest defending Ambedkar's legacy amid ongoing political tensions.
The Congress party on Friday hit out strongly at the FIR lodged against Rahul Gandhi over the recent scuffle in Parliament. The party called the move a “diversionary tactic” as the FIR was filed over his strong opposition to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal went on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, in support of Gandhi and stated that his case points to political revenge by the ruling BJP against him. “The FIR against Shri Rahul Gandhi ji is nothing but a diversionary tactic in response to his staunch protest against the Home Minister,” he wrote.
He termed the FIR a “badge of honour” and further added, “A case against him for defending Babasaheb’s legacy is a badge of honour. Rahul ji is already facing 26 FIRs due to the BJP’s political vendetta, and this latest FIR will not deter him or the Congress from standing up against the casteist RSS-BJP regime.”
Venugopal also questioned the inaction on complaints lodged by Congress women MPs. “While the Delhi Police has acted swiftly on the BJP MPs’ complaint, why has no action been taken on the complaints filed by women MPs of the Congress against BJP leaders who physically assaulted them?” he questioned.
The Congress accused the Delhi Police of bias, alleging it overlooked their complaints while acting promptly on the BJP’s allegations.
The FIR against Rahul Gandhi was registered by the Delhi Police on Thursday, based on a complaint by BJP MP Hemang Joshi. The BJP accused Gandhi of “physical assault and incitement” during a scuffle in the Parliament premises, demanding charges under sections of attempt to murder and other offenses.
Gandhi has been booked under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:
The complaint was accompanied by BJP leaders Anurag Thakur and Bansuri Swaraj, who accompanied Joshi to the Parliament Street Police Station.
In return, the Congress also lodged a counter-complaint, where it accused BJP members of misbehaving with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and sought an FIR against them under assault and grievous hurt.
The row broke out near Parliament’s Makar Dwar, an entry and exit reserved for lawmakers, as members of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Congress-led INDIA alliance staged concurrent protests over Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar.
The scuffle reportedly resulted in injuries to two BJP MPs, with one female MP accusing Rahul Gandhi of intimidation. The BJP alleged that Gandhi’s actions endangered the safety of its members.
The Congress refuted these claims, asserting that BJP legislators deliberately obstructed Gandhi’s path and physically pushed Mallikarjun Kharge, causing a knee injury.
At the core of this political drama lies a larger debate over Ambedkar’s legacy. The Congress has positioned itself as a defender of Ambedkar’s principles, accusing the BJP of distorting his vision. The FIR against Rahul Gandhi has only intensified this ongoing battle, with both sides hurling allegations at each other.
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