Parliament has become a “space for wrestlers and goons”, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Thursday as he accused Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi of assaulting two Bharatiya Janata Party MPs in the Parliament complex even as his party colleagues sought “statutory action” against the Congress leader for his act of “vandalism”.

Calling Gandhi’s behaviour “indecent and shameful”, Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal said the Rae Bareli MP did not deserve the post of Leader of Opposition.

“This behaviour is unimaginable,” Chouhan said. “Our elderly, poor, decent and disciplined MP Pratap Sarangi fell down and sustained a serious injury in the head. He is admitted to ICU and undergoing treatment. Mukesh Rajput was unconscious when I went to see him,” he said.

The controversy erupted earlier in the day when members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) were holding concurrent protests over the legacy of BR Ambedkar. Chaos broke out as the two sides came face to face.

The BJP alleged two of its lawmakers – Farrukhabad MP Mukesh Rajput and Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi – sustained injuries when Gandhi shoved them while making his way inside Parliament.

Gandhi, however, denied the allegations, accusing the BJP MPs of blocking the entry of opposition MPs and pushing them, leading to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge sustaining injuries in his knees.

At the press conference in the afternoon, Chouhan and Goyal alleged that security officers requested Gandhi to use a separate space to enter the Parliament building to avoid disrupting BJP members, but he intentionally moved toward them.

“Instead of following the instructions, he deliberately came to our MPs and indulged in violence,” Chouhan said, and questioned if Gandhi’s behaviour was “civil” and part of the “Indian culture”.

“In the legislative assembly and Parliament, I have seen protests, but what happened today is beyond comprehension. Rahul Gandhi indulged in vandalism,” Chouhan said.

The BJP leaders further said that Gandhi did not deserve to be the Leader of Opposition after his “indecent and shameful” conduct.

“A TDP woman MP was supporting Pratap Sarangi, and her chunni had blood on it….Rahul Gandhi came, saw the MP, and acted as if nothing happened,” Goyal said, accusing the Congress leader of lacking the “basic etiquette to apologise” or “ensure Sarangi received immediate medical help”.

“He sits in the post of Leader of Opposition, yet has no remorse for his actions. Instead, he comes on TV and shows arrogance. He deviously tried to hurt Pratap Sarangi, and now he is accusing us. The country will not forgive this,” Goyal said.

Sarangi reportedly suffered injuries and required an MRI, said Chouhan.

Expressing disappointment over the Congress’s handling of the situation, Chouhan said, “Congress MPs crossed all limits today… Where is Congress taking democracy? The Constitution has been dishonoured.”

“The Parliament is a place for dialogue, not physical force. Parliament has become a space for wrestlers and goons,” he added.

Chouhan also referred to allegations by BJP MP B Phangnon Konyak, who said she felt “uncomfortable” by Gandhi’s behaviour.

“She complained that Rahul Gandhi came so close to her that she felt uncomfortable. Such behaviour is against Indian traditions of respecting women,” Chouhan said, adding that Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar later said that Konyak approached him with tears in her eyes.

“An Indian woman, especially an ST MP can never make false accusations,” he said.

“We demand statutory action. MPs have filed a complaint, and the BJP will ensure all required actions and investigations are conducted,” Chouhan said. “We only demand that a legal investigation be carried out.”