Who Is Pratap Sarangi, BJP MP Who Accused Rahul Gandhi Of Injuring Him

New Delhi: BJP MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi today alleged that he was injured following an altercation involving Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The incident occurred amid heated protests between members of the INDIA bloc and BJP MPs inside Parliament premises. Mr Sarangi, who sustained a head injury, was subsequently taken to the hospital. The BJP MP claimed that the injury happened when another MP fell on him after being pushed by Rahul Gandhi.

Who is Pratap Sarangi: Here are some facts

• Pratap Chandra Sarangi is a prominent BJP leader from Odisha and a Member of Parliament representing the Balasore constituency. 
• Born on January 4, 1955, in Gopinathpur village of Balasore district, Mr Sarangi earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fakir Mohan College, affiliated with Utkal University, in 1975.
• Mr Sarangi’s political journey began as a volunteer for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He later served in the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. 
• Mr Sarangi was elected as a Member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from the Nilagiri constituency, serving two terms from 2004 to 2009 and from 2009 to 2014.
• In 2014, Mr Sarangi contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Balasore constituency but lost. He contested again in 2019 and emerged victorious, defeating the incumbent MP Rabindra Kumar Jena of the Biju Janata Dal by a margin of 12,956 votes.
• In May 2019, Mr Sarangi was appointed Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
• Mr Sarangi was accused of involvement in the 1999 murder of Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons. He was the leader of the Bajrang Dal when a mob, with links to the group,burnt Mr Staines and his two minor sons alive. 
• Mr Sarangi was arrested for rioting and damaging government property after a 2002 attack on the Odisha state assembly.