New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi was injured on Thursday, allegedly after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed another MP, who then fell onto him. The incident occurred during a protest involving MPs from the INDIA bloc and the BJP near Makar Dwar outside Parliament, sparking fresh controversy. Sarangi was subsequently taken to the hospital with a head injury.

As per Sarangi, he was on the stairs when another MP, pushed by Rahul Gandhi, toppled onto him, causing the injury. “I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me,” Sarangi told reporters.

Who is BJP MP Pratap Sarangi?

• Pratap Chandra Sarangi, a BJP Member of Parliament, represents the Balasore constituency in Odisha.
• He was born on January 4, 1955, in Gopinathpur, Nilgiri, located in the Balasore district.
• Sarangi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fakirmohan College, Utkal University, graduating in 1975.
• In July 2021, he served as the Union Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, as well as the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
• Sarangi is widely recognized for his contributions to tribal education, having set up schools in numerous villages under the Gana Shiksha Mandir Yojana across Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts.

What Did Rahul Gandhi Say? 

In response to the allegations, Rahul Gandhi stated that BJP MPs were blocking, pushing, and threatening him as he tried to enter the Parliament entrance. He said, “This might be on your camera. I was trying to enter through the Parliament entrance, but BJP MPs were blocking me, pushing me, and threatening me.”

Addressing similar incidents, he noted, “Yes, such incidents have happened, even with Mallikarjun Kharge being pushed. But we don’t get affected by such jostling. The central issue is that they are attacking the Constitution and disrespecting Ambedkar ji’s memory.”