Lok Sabha on Tuesday witnessed an ugly verbal spat between the Opposition and treasury benches after BJP MP Anurag Thakur commented on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's caste and the Congress leader refuted his statement. While questioning the Congress' stand on caste census, the BJP MP from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur made remarks on caste - jiski jaat ka pata nahi janganana ki baat karata hai (One, whose caste is known, is advocating for the census), which led to an uproar with Congress members stooping into the Well of the Lok Sabha.
Gandhi, in his reply to Thakur, asserted he has been insulted and despite the attacks, the INDIA bloc would ensure that caste census is conducted.
"One who speaks for backwards, tribals and SC/ST gets abuses and I'm okay with it. I stand will remain firm like Arjun's aim at the fish on the caste-based census," said Gandhi.
Continuing his attack on Gandhi for his "chakravyuh" jibe at the BJP-led government a day earlier, Thakur cited purported portions from a book authored by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to hit out at successive Congress governments since 1947 and alleged that Gandhi has misinterpreted his position of LoP as "leader of propaganda".
Using the 'chakravyuh' metaphor as a leitmotif, Rahul Gandhi on Monday claimed an atmosphere of fear prevails all around with a group of six trapping the entire country in a 'chakravyuh'. He had said the 'chakravyuh' is also called a 'padmavyuh' for its resemblance to a lotus (BJP's poll symbol) formation.
Hitting out at Gandhi for his remarks, Thakur said one of the synonyms for lotus is Rajiv (the name of Rahul Gandhi's father and former prime minister). You linked lotus with violence, does that mean you also link Rajiv with violence? Thakur asked.
In another intervention, the Congress leader said he does not want an apology from Thakur for his remarks as his only focus like the Mahabharat's Arjun is on the caste census.
"Whoever raises issues of the Dalits and backwards, has to face abuses...I don't want any apology," he said.
In response, Thakur alleged that the definition of OBCs for Congress is "Only Brother-in-law commission" and not Other Backward Classes. He also referred to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's opposition to reservation for OBCs.
Without taking any names, Thakur said a few people are "accidental Hindus" and their knowledge of the Mahabharat is also accidental.
Jagdambika Pal, who was chairing the proceedings, said Thakur's remarks on caste stand expunged.
SP slams Thakur for his caste-remark
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also questioned Thakur for his statement and described it as inappropriate. "How can you ask anybody's caste?" he posed.
The Chair said nobody in the House is allowed to ask the caste of any person.
During the course of his speech, Thakur alleged that Rahul Gandhi's speeches are written by "Uncle Sam", in an apparent reference to party leader Sam Pitroda. The BJP MP claimed that Rahul Gandhi was using "borrowed wisdom" to make speeches in an attempt to be a "cool dude".
Thakur also said that reality and not "reels" make a "real" politician.
Thakur hits back at Gandhi on his halwa jibe
Referring to the leader of the opposition's remarks Monday on the budget halwa ceremony, Thakur referred to a series of alleged scams, including Bofors, CWG, 2G, fodder, urea, coal, jeep and National Herald, asking "who ate the halwa from the scams" and wondered whether it was sweet or bland.
As he referred to the various scams, members from the treasury benches shouted "Congress-Congress".
Citing excerpts from Tharoor's book "The Great Indian Novel", the former Union minister attacked successive prime ministers from the Congress using abbreviations, including "N-Ji, IG and RG 1".
Tharoor intervened, saying his repeated references are from a satirical novel written years ago and the BJP leader did not understand the satire.
The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said he has written several other books which are not being quoted by Thakur because it is not convenient for the narrative he wanted to convey.
(With PTI inputs)
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