It was time for quotes again from the Epic Mahabharata in the Lok Sabha, as Member of Parliament from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh Anurag Thakur on Tuesday trained guns – arrows to be more precise – on Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, who criticised the Modi government yesterday, comparing it to chakravyuh, a battle formation to trap enemies.
Mahabharata hero Abhimanyu had learnt the trick of getting into the chakravyuh but not getting out and thus was trapped in the formation and killed in battle.
In a speech during discussions on the Budget in the Lok Sabhat, Thakur responded to Gandhi’s claim that his research had revealed that chakravyuh was also padmavyuh or lotus (BJP’s symbol) formation that had "trapped the youth, farmers, women, and small and medium businesses."
Thakur said the LoP should think before speaking.
Rajiv (former PM and Gandhi’s father) meant lotus, the seat of Goddess Lakshmi was the lotus, the national flower was also lotus. An idol dating back to Indus Valley Civilisation showed Shiva depicted as Pashupatinath, in lotus mudra; Lokmanya Tilak was cremated in padmasana (lotus) position, his legs crossed, an honour reserved for saints. It was this lotus which was said to be associated with violence.
Some people are "accidental" Hindus and their knowledge of Mahabharata is also "accidental," Thakur said.
Gandhi should know that LoP meant leader of the opposition and not leader of propaganda. "Borrowed wisdom" will not work, he added.
Neither have such people read the Consitution, nor Mahabharata. “They wouldn't have otherwise said that six people were involved in Abhimanyu's killing when the fact was that seven people, including Jaidrath, Duryodhan, Dushashan, Karn, Dronacharya, Kripacharya and Shakuni murdered him,” Thakur said.
The Hamirpur MP asked if Gandhi had read his own party leader Shashi Tharoor's The Great Indian Novel.
Quoting from Tharoor's book, a work of fiction with the story of Mahabharata retold in context of the Indian independence movement and the first three decades after India attained freedom, Thakur asked, "who was Dhritarashtra meant to be? Which party was understood to be Kauravas? Who was Priya Duryodhani? Rahulji should try and find out.”
Dhritarashtra’s blindness in Mahabharata is meant to be symbolic of his blind love for his son, Duryodhana, which forces him to overlook some of his son’s faults.
In The Great Indian Novel, Dhritarashtra is a symbolic figure for India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Priya Duryodhani is his daughter, Indira.
Quoting from the novel, he also referred to Indira Gandhi’s infamous Emergency, adding the country knew about Fabian Socialists (historically associated with radicalism, a left-wing tradition).
Nehru is said to have followed Fabian principles as part of their own political ideologies.
Again, on Gandhi’s chakravyuh analogy, Thakur said the country had been trapped in a number of chakravyuh. He alleged that the first chakravuyh was the Congress, which was responsible for the Partition of the country.
The second chakravuyh was the first Prime Minister of the country who was responsible for the problems associated with Kashmir and occupation of Indian land by China.
The third chakravuyh was IG who imposed Emergency and created trouble in Punjab.
As the Speaker had disallowed use of names from a certain period, Thakur mentioned RG, alleging he was responsible for Bofors and the riots after Indira Gandhi’s assassination.
The next chakravuh he alleged was SG who created a narrative against Sanatan Dharma and allegedly gave protection to scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore, creating economic problems for the country.
The sixth chakravyuh was RG-2, who in the last 15 years, Thakur alleged,had made a mockery of culture, politics, and Parliamentary tradition.
Despite an uproar in Parliament during and after Thakur’s speech, Gandhi said in Lok Sabha that despite attacks, "I don't want an apology."
To Thakur targeting the Congress over caste census, saying "those who know nothing of caste want caste census," Gandhi responded, "The one to raise voices for deprived is often met with abuses. But we are ready to take all the abuses and will get the caste census done."
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