The Lok Sabha witnessed a heated debate on Tuesday as the demand for a caste census, championed by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, turned personal. Remarks by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, perceived as a dig at Gandhi, ignited a sharp exchange between the two leaders.
Thakur’s comment, “He whose caste is unknown is talking about a census?” was seen as a direct jibe at Rahul Gandhi. The Congress leader retorted, emphasizing that insults would not deter his advocacy for the disadvantaged. “You can insult me as much as you want, do it every day. But don’t forget that we (the opposition) will get the bill passed here (in Parliament),” Rahul Gandhi asserted.
कुछ लोग एक्सीडेंटल हिंदू हैं, और उनका महाभारत का ज्ञान भी एक्सीडेंटल ही है। pic.twitter.com/xF25sXufvN
— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 30, 2024
The altercation began after Rahul Gandhi criticized the government for lack of diversity in the Budget-making process, using the traditional ‘halwa’ ceremony as a metaphor. This prompted Anurag Thakur to respond with a list of alleged scams under Congress governments. “Rahul ji, you spoke about ‘halwa’ (sweetmeat). Who had the ‘halwa’ from the Bofors scam, from the Antriksh-Dewas scam, from the Commonwealth Games, National Herald, submarine, AgustaWestland, 2G, coal, urea and fodder scams? Some people talk about OBCs, but for them (the Congress) OBC stands for ‘only for brother-in-law commission’. This party will talk about other backward castes?”
BJP के चक्रव्यूह को देश की जनता तोड़ देगी pic.twitter.com/hCg5hE2iEt
— Congress (@INCIndia) July 30, 2024
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Rahul Gandhi, seizing the opportunity to respond, likened his focus on the caste census to Arjun’s singular focus in the Mahabharata. “Anurag Thakur has insulted me, he has abused me, but I don’t want an apology from him. I am fighting a battle and I will continue to do so,” he declared.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, an ally of the Congress and part of the INDIA bloc, defended Rahul Gandhi and criticized Thakur’s questioning of caste. “How can you ask about anyone’s caste? You can’t do this,” Yadav fumed.
In response, Anurag Thakur pointed to historical opposition to OBC reservations by Gandhi’s father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. “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?” Thakur challenged.
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The debate highlighted the growing tensions over the caste census and underscored the deep political divisions within Parliament. As the discussion raged on, it became clear that the demand for a caste census has become a flashpoint in Indian politics, with both sides unwilling to back down.
