 "Anurag Thakur, Anurag")
Hamirpur: Union Minister Anurag Thakur addresses an election rally in Barsar Assembly constituency of Hamirpur, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Photo: PTI)
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.
“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”.
First Published: Jul 31 2024 | 1:59 PM IST
