Congress state president Mallikarjun Kharge has claimed that he injured his knee during a scuffle with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs and has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla about the incident. Previously, the BJP accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of pushing MP Pratap Sarangi, who was later seen with a bleeding head in a circulating video.
Kharge alleged that BJP MPs pushed him at Makar Dwar during a protest march by India Aghadi MPs against remarks made by the Union Home Minister about Dr. Ambedkar on December 17, 2024. In his letter, Kharge stated, "When I arrived at Makar Dwar with India Aghadi MPs, I was pushed by BJP MPs, causing me to lose my balance and sit on the ground. As a result, my knee, which I had previously injured and undergone surgery for, was hurt again. A Congress MP later provided me with a chair to sit on." He added, "With great difficulty and assistance from my colleagues, I managed to reach the House at 11 am. I request an inquiry into this incident, as it is an attack not only on me but also on the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and the Congress President."
Meanwhile, BJP MP Pratap Sarangi was also injured during the protest, claiming that his injury resulted from being pushed by Rahul Gandhi. In a statement to reporters, Sarangi said, "Rahul Gandhi pushed an MP, causing him to fall on me, and then I fell as well while standing near the steps."