On Tuesday, former Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur sharply criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his comments in the Lok Sabha. This followed Gandhi’s speech on Monday, where he referenced the traditional ‘halwa’ ceremony and criticized the government’s lack of diversity in its Budget-making team.
Anurag Thakur’s Response to Rahul Gandhi
In response, Thakur accused the Congress of having a history filled with scandals and blocking reservations. Speaking in Hindi, Thakur questioned, “Rahul ji, you spoke about ‘halwa’. Who enjoyed the ‘halwa’ from the Bofors scam, Antriksh-Dewas scam, Commonwealth Games, National Herald, submarine, AgustaWestland, 2G, coal, urea, and fodder scams? Rahul ji, was the ‘halwa’ sweet or tasteless? Some people speak about OBCs, but for Congress, OBC stands for ‘only for brother-in-law commission’. This party will talk about other backward castes?”
Thakur continued his criticism, saying, “The ‘shahzada’ (prince) from this party will lecture us? First, he needs to understand that LoP stands for Leader of the Opposition, not leader of propaganda. He should stop spreading lies. There is much talk about OBC and caste census. How can someone whose caste is unknown talk about a census?”
Anurag Thakur Challenges Rahul Gandhi
The remarks led to an uproar in the Lok Sabha, with Rahul Gandhi alleging that Thakur had insulted him. However, Thakur continued his attack, stating, “Politics can’t be done with a borrowed brain. You speak each time you get a note. You say a little, get a note, and then speak again. Those who do not know about caste are discussing a census. I didn’t name anyone, but look who responded.”
When Gandhi criticized the BJP’s symbol, the Lotus, Thakur responded that ‘Kamal’ is the seat of Goddess Lakshmi. “By insulting Kamal, you are insulting great Yogis like Lord Shiva and Buddha,” he said.
Anurag Thakur’s Views on Rahul Gandhi’s Knowledge
Thakur also questioned Gandhi’s knowledge of the Hindu epic Mahabharata, calling him an “accidental Hindu” with accidental knowledge of the Mahabharata. He added that Rahul Gandhi should aim to be a ‘real Neta’ by speaking the truth, rather than a ‘reel Neta,’ referring to the memes about Gandhi on social media.
Anurag Thakur vs. Akhilesh Yadav
During the debate, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, an ally of Congress, supported Gandhi and questioned how Thakur could discuss someone’s caste. Thakur replied by pointing out that Rahul Gandhi’s father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, had opposed OBC reservations, yet today’s Congress wants a caste census.
Yadav also criticized the Agnipath scheme for short-term recruitment in the armed forces during the budget debate. He claimed that the government knows it is a poor scheme, which is why BJP-led state governments are offering job quotas to Agniveers.
Anurag Thakur Defends Agnipath Scheme
Thakur defended the Agnipath scheme, stating, “I come from Himachal Pradesh, which gave the country its first Param Vir Chakra awardee, the late Major Somnath Sharma. Most martyrs in Kargil were from Himachal. The Narendra Modi government fulfilled the long-pending demand of One Rank One Pension. Agniveer has a 100 percent employment guarantee,” he asserted.
Yadav countered, asking, “Then why do state governments need to offer quotas for Agniveers? I attended a military school, and we can count Param Vir Chakras too.”
Anurag Thakur’s Military Service
Thakur responded, “You attended a military school; I am serving as a Territorial Army captain. Akhilesh ji, don’t lecture me.”
Anurag Thakur’s sharp comments in the Lok Sabha highlight the ongoing political tensions and the BJP’s strong stand on its policies against criticism from the Congress and its allies.
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