'Exposed INDI alliance...': Modi endorses Anurag Thakur's caste census speech
Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur has received praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his speech in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. "This speech by my young and energetic colleague...@ianuragthakur is a must-hear. A perfect mix of facts and humor, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance," PM Modi said on X on Tuesday evening. Notably, Thakur made headlines for his heated exchanges with Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
Thakur's speech sparks controversy
Thakur, the representative of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was speaking during the Budget 2024 debate, where he criticized Gandhi's comments on the Mahabharata, labeling some as "accidental Hindus" with an equally accidental understanding of the epic. He also appeared to reference Gandhi's caste while questioning the opposition's call for a nationwide caste census, sparking significant controversy.
Read: The PM's post here
What Thakur said in Lok Sabha
"Those whose caste is not known, talk about the caste census. I want to remind the Speaker that in this House itself, a former prime minister RG-1 had opposed reservation for OBCs," Thakur said in an apparent reference to Rajiv Gandhi, the LoP's father. The Prime Minister's endorsement followed objections from the Congress, which heads the opposition's Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. They questioned Thakur's speech, asking whether it was delivered "at the prime minister's behest."
Read: Jairam Ramesh's post on the controversy
Strong reaction from opposition benches
The remark also elicited a strong reaction from the opposition benches. Yadav questioned how Thakur could discuss someone's caste in the House. This marked their second clash yesterday, the first being over the Agnipath issue during Yadav's Budget speech. Thakur—responding to Yadav's military school background—highlighted his own role as a Captain in the territorial army and advised Yadav against preaching to him. Yadav retorted that Thakur was upset for not securing a ministerial position in the third Modi government.
Anurag Thakur has insulted me: Gandhi
Additionally, reacting strongly to the former minister's inquiry about his caste, Gandhi, a vocal proponent of a nationwide caste census, accused Thakur of insulting him. "Insult me all you want, but we (INDIA) will pass the caste census in Parliament," Gandhi said. "Anyone who raises issues about Adivasis, Dalits, and the backward classes is targeted. I will gladly accept these insults. Anurag Thakur has insulted me, but I do not seek any apology from him," he added.
