Anurag Thakur's caste remark 'on Rahul Gandhi' expunged; Oppn seeks apology

BJP MP from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, Anurag Thakur stoked a political row on Tuesday over his controversial Lok Sabha speech, apparently targeted at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi

Congress ally and Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party’s authority to question others about their caste and shared his personal experiences with caste-based discrimination, despite having served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

“This question around caste is nothing new… there was a time in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly when discussions related to Shudras were widely held. I remember when I had gone to a temple, there were some people who did not want me to perform the havan-pujan. I will ask you (the media) to find out who these people were, trying to prevent someone from performing pooja. I can never forget the day when the chief minister’s residence was washed with Gangaajal… Someone can explain to me today how the CM’s residence was washed using Gangaajal?” Yadav said.

 

“I went to the Kannauj temple to pray after winning the elections for the first time and it was also washed later on…You can imagine… you want to reach the Moon, execute digital India, Vishwaguru, Amrit Kaal, Viksit Bharat…and you will wash the temple using Gangaajal.”

#WATCH | Delhi: On BJP MP Anurag Thakur's remarks in the Lok Sabha, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav says, "...Once I went to a temple, some didn't want me to perform havan and puja...I will never forget that day when CM's house was cleaned with Ganga water...now you want to… pic.twitter.com/YZgtCCwTVh

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024

“Can the BJP ask the caste of the members of the Congress or any other party?...The words that were used in the House….I think Anurag Thakur has been told to get abused 99 times in the House to secure a minister’s post….,” Yadav added.

Anurag Thakur calls Rahul Gandhi “accidental Hindu”

Yadav’s remarks followed a day after BJP MP Anurag Thakur stoked a huge political row over his controversial Lok Sabha speech, apparently targeted at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

In his speech, Thakur labelled Gandhi as an “accidental Hindu” and made references to his caste. In response, the Congress leader accused the BJP MP of insulting and abusing him but said that he was not seeking any apology.

Thakur’s remarks related to caste stand were expunged by Jagdambika Pal, who was in the chair. He said such remarks are not allowed in the House. Thakur also claimed that Gandhi was making his speeches on “borrowed wisdom” to appear a “cool dude”.

BJP MP counters on Gandhi’s chakravyuh remark for Budget

The controversy was triggered after Gandhi’s use of the ‘chakravyuh’ reference during his address to the Parliament on the Budget 2024 on Monday. He used references from the mythological epic Mahabharata to suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has trapped Indians in a modern-day ‘chakravyuh’.

Thakur’s caste remarks were linked to Gandhi’s push for a caste-based census in India.

“How dare you ask his caste,” Yadav had earlier questioned Thakur’s remarks. Several other Opposition leaders have also condemned Thakur and sought his apology.

Meanwhile, PM Modi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share Thakur’s “must hear” speech, which he said “exposed” the INDIA bloc’s “dirty politics”.