Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sharing a post that included BJP MP Anurag Thakur's alleged caste remarks about Rahul Gandhi. The controversy began when Modi shared Thakur's speech on the social media platform X, calling it a "perfect mix of facts and humour" that exposed what he referred to as the "dirty politics" of the INDI Alliance.
Kharge condemned the Prime Minister's tweet, asserting that Modi should understand the appropriate context for his comments and whom he should defend. He argued that inflaming sentiments should not be permitted in Parliament and expressed his disapproval of Thakur's remarks. Kharge accused Thakur of intentionally trying to insult Rahul Gandhi and questioned the necessity of the Prime Minister's involvement in such matters.
Kharge emphasised that taunting and questioning someone's caste in Parliament is inappropriate. He pointed out that many BJP leaders are in inter caste or interfaith marriages and asked whether the party intended to scrutinise everyone's caste. Kharge described this behaviour as wrong and unacceptable.
Supporting Kharge's stance, Congress MP K Suresh highlighted that Thakur had used many unparliamentary words against Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders. Suresh mentioned that Congress had protested and requested the chair to expunge such words from the record.
He also criticised Modi for tweeting the same expunged words, which he claimed violated the rules of the Lok Sabha. Suresh reiterated the Congress party's commitment to conducting a caste census, a promise made during the elections, and vowed that a Congress-led INDIA Alliance government would ensure it happens.
In response, BJP MP Sambit Patra accused the Congress of seeing a conspiracy where there was none. He argued that Thakur had not named anyone specifically, yet only Rahul Gandhi seemed offended, prompting the entire Congress party to react.
Patra criticised the Congress's behaviour, suggesting that it was inappropriate to react so strongly to questions about one's caste, especially when similar questions could be directed at media personnel, administrative officers, judges, and soldiers.
The heated exchange between Thakur and Rahul Gandhi in Parliament had already set the stage for the controversy. Thakur had implied that those asking for a caste census had their caste identities in question, referencing Rahul Gandhi indirectly. He also brought up former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's opposition to OBC reservations.
Rahul Gandhi responded forcefully, asserting that while he could be insulted daily, the caste census would eventually be passed in the Lok Sabha. This ongoing dispute highlights the contentious nature of caste politics in India and the deep-seated divisions between the Congress and BJP on this issue.
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