New Delhi: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his alleged unparliamentary behaviour against a senior citizen MP and a tribal woman MP from the Northeast saying there is “no scope of physical altercation in the temple of democracy”.

In a statement, Sonowal said by allegedly indulging in physical altercation, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has “injured” a senior citizen and fellow MP, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, and “displayed an ugly side that is unbecoming of an elected member of the Parliament”.

“Such action is a blatant violation of the decorum of the House and in contravention of the principle of ‘Ahimsa’. I call upon the Speaker of the Lok Sabha to take cognisance of this matter and bring the guilty to the book,” he said.

Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, also strongly criticised Gandhi for his alleged misbehaviour with a woman MP from Nagaland, Phangnon Konyak.

Earlier in the day, a face-off at the Parliament entry steps ensured between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar.

While BJP’s Lok Sabha MPs Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput were hurt during the commotion, party’s Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland Phangon Konyak alleged that Congress MP and Lok Sabha’s Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi “came in very close proximity” to her and she “really felt very uncomfortable and he started shouting which is very unbecoming of a leader of the opposition.” Sonowal said as a tribal son of the soil and people’s leader from the Northeast, it is unfortunate that Konyak had to face the “infringement of honour and misbehaviour” allegedly by Gandhi.

“It hurt her dignity and self esteem. The misbehaviour by Gandhi towards a woman is extremely disturbing, rude, and inappropriate for a dignified person. I call upon the Honourable Chairman of Rajya Sabha to take strong action against Gandhi, bring him to book and set an unequivocal example against any malicious attempt by anyone to infringe the honour of a woman,” he said.