Anurag Thakur vs Rahul Gandhi clash erupts in Lok Sabha: ‘You linked lotus with violence, do you also link Rajiv with…’

BJP MP Anurag Thakur and Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi clashed fiercely in the Lok Sabha after Thakur's controversial remarks on caste, which have since been expunged. The incident caused a significant uproar, with Congress members descending into the Well of the House.

On Tuesday, Anurag Thakur launched a scathing attack on Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, targeting his ‘chakravyuh’ jibe directed at the BJP-led NDA.

On Monday, Rahul Gandhi used the 'chakravyuh' metaphor to assert that India was controlled by six individuals, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He compared the 'chakravyuh' to a 'padmavyuh,' highlighting its resemblance to the lotus symbol of the BJP.

Anurag Thakur vs Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

On Tuesday in the Lok Sabha, Anurag Thakur fiercely criticized Congress and Rahul Gandhi, using a satirical novel by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to mock the LoP and the Grand Old Party.

Anurag Thakur used excerpts from Shashi Tharoor's book The Great Indian Novel to criticize successive Congress governments since 1947 and accused Rahul Gandhi of misinterpreting his role as Leader of Opposition as “leader of propaganda.”

Thakur further targeted Gandhi by suggesting that one of the synonyms for the lotus, the BJP's symbol, is "Rajiv," referencing Rahul Gandhi's father and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

“You linked lotus with violence, does that mean you also link Rajiv with violence?” Thakur asked.

Rahul Gandhi responded, accusing BJP members of insulting him and asserting that, despite the abuse, the opposition is committed to passing the caste census in the House.

Gandhi further emphasized that he does not seek an apology from Anurag Thakur; instead, like Arjun from the Mahabharata, his sole focus remains on advancing the caste census.

"Whoever raises issues of the Dalits and backwards, has to face abuses... I don't want any apology," he said.

Anurag Thakur criticized the Congress party's stance, claiming that for them, OBC stands for "Only Brother-in-law Commission" rather than Other Backward Classes. He also recalled former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's opposition to OBC reservations. Thakur further suggested that some individuals are "accidental Hindus" with only a superficial understanding of the Mahabharata.

Thakur also accused Rahul Gandhi of relying on "borrowed wisdom," alleging that Gandhi's speeches are scripted by "Uncle Sam," a veiled reference to party leader Sam Pitroda. The BJP MP suggested that Gandhi's attempt to appear as a "cool dude" was undermined by his reliance on others for his public statements.

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav questioned Thakur for his statement and described it as inappropriate. "How can you ask anybody's caste?" he posed.

Shashi Tharoor Intervenes

Former Union Minister Anurag Thakur, citing excerpts from Shashi Tharoor's satirical novel The Great Indian Novel, launched a sharp attack on successive Congress prime ministers, using abbreviations like "N-Ji," "IG," and "RG 1."

Thakur's remarks targeted the Congress party, drawing on the book's satire to criticize past leaders.

In response, Tharoor clarified that his references were meant as satire and accused Thakur of misinterpreting the novel. The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram pointed out that Thakur selectively quoted from the book to fit his narrative, ignoring Tharoor’s other works that would not serve the BJP's agenda.