New Delhi: The Lok Sabha saw a heated exchange between the opposition and the treasury benches on Tuesday (July 30) after former Union minister and BJP MP Anurag Singh Thakur said in a veiled attack against leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi that those who did not know their own caste were asking for a caste census.
“There is a lot of talk of caste census and OBCs. Jiski jaat ka pata nahi, wo ganna ki baat karta hai [one who’s caste is not known, he is talking about a caste census],” said Thakur during his speech in the discussion of the Union budget 2024-25 without naming Gandhi.
The Congress and the INDIA bloc demanded a nationwide caste census during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. Gandhi once again reiterated the demand during his speech in the discussion on the budget.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections saw the BJP being handed its biggest defeat in Uttar Pradesh – which was largely responsible for downsizing it in parliament – in a decade after the Samajwadi Party, which was in alliance with the Congress in the state, pulled off a spectacular performance after fighting the election on the ‘PDA’ PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) narrative in order to mobilise support among OBCs, Dalits and Muslims.
Following Thakur’s remarks, the opposition benches erupted in protest and Gandhi could be heard saying “he has insulted me” as BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over proceedings in the House, said he would allow Gandhi to speak.
“You can insult me as much as you want, everyday. But remember that we will pass [a] caste census in this house,” said Gandhi.
Thakur continued with his speech amid loud protests from the opposition benches, with members proceeding towards the well of the House.
“I did not name anyone. But who rose to answer?” said Thakur.
Pal then asked the opposition members to leave the well and said that he would give Gandhi a chance to speak again as chants rang out saying “apologise to the LoP [leader of opposition]”.
Photo: Sansad TV broadcast.
“Whoever raises the voices of Dalits, Adivasis and backward castes has to face abuses. I am ready to face these abuses happily. The Mahabharata was spoken about. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna could only see the fish’s eye. Similarly, I can only see the caste census and will ensure it is done,” said Gandhi after opposition members returned to their seats.
“Anurag Thakur has abused me, but I will not seek any apology. I am fighting. I don’t need your apology,” said Gandhi.
Amid protests from the opposition benches demanding an apology, Pal then said he would look at the records and get Thakur’s remark expunged if he had insulted anyone.
Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, whose party is the second largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha after the Congress, then rose to ask how Thakur could ask anyone their caste.
“He has remained a minister; he is a member of a big party. He spoke about the Mahabharata and even brought up Duryodhana. I want to simply ask, how can you ask someone’s caste? How can you? You cannot ask someone’s caste,” he said.
Pal then said that no one would ask about anyone’s caste in the House.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the speech by Thakur, calling it “a must hear”. “This speech by my young and energetic colleague, Shri Anurag Thakur is a must hear. A perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance,” Modi wrote on X (formerly, Twitter).
This speech by my young and energetic colleague, Shri @ianuragthakur is a must hear. A perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance. https://t.co/4utsqNeJqp
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2024
