Anurag Thakur's Caste Remark About Rahul Gandhi Causes Stir in Lok Sabha

BJP leader Anurag Thakur's remarks about Rahul Gandhi's caste during a Lok Sabha debate on the Union Budget led to a heated exchange between opposition and treasury benches. Gandhi accused Thakur of insulting him but stated he would not demand an apology. The BJP leader's comments on Gandhi's caste sparked an uproar, causing Congress members to rush into the Well of the Lok Sabha.

Gandhi responded, "Anurag Thakur insulted me and I don't want any apology from him. Abuse or insult me as hard as you can but don't forget we will pass the caste census in this Parliament for sure." Thakur criticised Gandhi for his earlier chakravyuh comment about the BJP-led government, citing parts of a book by Shashi Tharoor to attack past Congress administrations.

Thakur's Criticism and Allegations

Thakur also mocked Gandhi, who stood up twice to counter his remarks about previous Congress governments. The BJP MP from Hamirpur claimed that Gandhi had already spoken but sought permission to speak again after receiving a note. "Udhaar ki buddhi se rajniti nahi chalti," Thakur said, meaning "You can't indulge in politics on borrowed wisdom."

Thakur further linked the lotus, the BJP's election symbol, with various cultural and religious symbols, questioning Gandhi's criticism of it. He said, "Goddess Lakshmi is seated on a lotus, our national flower too is lotus, Lord Shiva statue was also found seated in the lotus formation padmasan and Lokmanya Tilak also breathed his last sitting in padmasan posture. So next time you criticise the lotus, just remember who all you are targeting."

Accusations Against Congress

The BJP member called Gandhi an "accidental Hindu" and advised him not to be a reel leader. He added, "There are many memes about you. To become a real leader, you have to speak the truth." Thakur alleged that Gandhi's knowledge about Mahabharata might be accidental and possibly based on texts written by Uncle Sam or notes handed to him.

Thakur accused Congress of defining OBCs as "Only Brother-in-law Commission" instead of Other Backward Classes. He also mentioned former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's opposition to OBC reservations. Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the session, stated that Thakur's remarks on caste were expunged.

Reactions from Other Leaders

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav criticised Thakur's statement as inappropriate. He questioned, "How can you ask anybody's caste?" Pal reiterated that no one in the House was allowed to inquire about another person's caste.

Thakur claimed that Gandhi was using borrowed wisdom to appear knowledgeable. Citing excerpts from Tharoor's book "The Great Indian Novel," he attacked successive Congress prime ministers using abbreviations like N-Ji, IG, and RG-1. Tharoor intervened, stating that Thakur misunderstood the satire in his novel.

Historical Context and Current Implications

Thakur accused Congress of creating several chakravyuhs for India, including Partition, Emergency imposition, Bofors scam, anti-Sikh riots, and narratives against Sanatan Dharma. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with rescuing the country from these traps set by Congress.

The BJP leader said Congress tried to trap Modi for 22 years since his tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister but failed because he has public support. Referring to Gandhi's comments on the halwa ceremony before the budget presentation, Thakur listed various scams like Bofors, CWG, 2G, fodder, urea, coal, jeep, and National Herald.

During his Lok Sabha speech on Monday, Gandhi showed a photo of the halwa ceremony preceding budget printing. He pointed out that there were no Dalit, Adivasi or Backward Class individuals in the photo. He noted that out of 20 officers preparing the budget, only one was from a minority community and one from the OBC category.

The debate highlighted ongoing tensions between BJP and Congress over caste issues and historical grievances. Both parties continue to clash over their respective roles in India's political landscape.