The demand for a caste census, championed by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, took a personal turn in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. BJP MP Anurag Thakur remarked that those whose caste is unknown are calling for an enumeration. Though he didn’t name anyone, it was perceived as a jab at Mr. Gandhi.
Mr. Gandhi retorted that anyone fighting for the disadvantaged gets insulted but won’t be deterred by abuse. On Monday, he criticized the government during the traditional ‘halwa’ ceremony, pointing out the lack of diversity in the Budget-making process. In response, the BJP highlighted Congress’s history of obstructing reservations.
On Tuesday, Mr. Thakur listed alleged scams under Congress rule, questioning, “Rahul ji, you spoke about ‘halwa’. Who enjoyed the ‘halwa’ from the Bofors, Antriksh-Dewas, Commonwealth Games, National Herald, submarine, AgustaWestland, 2G, coal, urea, and fodder scams? Was the ‘halwa’ sweet or tasteless? Some people talk about OBCs, but for them, OBC stands for ‘only for brother-in-law commission’.”
अखिलेश जी, इतना अहंकार ठीक नहीं है। pic.twitter.com/GEhTXGe5xW
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 30, 2024
Continuing, Mr. Thakur said, “The ‘shahzada’ (prince) of this party will give us ‘gyan’? First, he needs to understand what LoP stands for – Leader of the Opposition, not leader of propaganda. He whose caste is unknown is talking about a census?”
राहुल गांधी जी, रियल नेता बनने के लिये सच बोलना पड़ता है, सिर्फ़ रील के नेता मत बनिए। pic.twitter.com/fWkIRl5x4H
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 30, 2024
This statement caused an uproar, and Mr. Gandhi interjected, saying he should be given a chance to respond to the insult. “Insult me as much as you want, but remember, we (the opposition) will get the bill passed here (in Parliament),” he asserted.
An MP from the treasury benches retorted that Mr. Gandhi would also have to disclose his caste. Mr. Thakur then mocked that Mr. Gandhi seemed to need a note every time he wanted to speak. “Politics can’t be done with a borrowed brain,” he sneered.
Mr. Gandhi, given another chance to speak, stated that anyone fighting for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes gets insulted. Comparing himself to Arjun from the Mahabharat, he said he could see only his goal—the caste census. “Anurag Thakur has insulted me, but I don’t want an apology. I am fighting a battle and will continue. Insult me as much as you want, I don’t want an apology.”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, an ally of Congress, also backed Mr. Gandhi, questioning how Mr. Thakur could bring up anyone’s caste. “He has been a former minister. How can you ask about anyone’s caste? You can’t do this,” he said.
Mr. Thakur responded by recalling that Mr. Gandhi’s father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, had opposed OBC reservation, while today’s Congress demands a caste census. “You have to decide whether he was right or you are right. Was your party wrong, or are you wrong? Was he against OBCs, or are you for them?” he questioned.
