New Delhi: A day after BJP MP and former Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur’s veiled attack against Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi – saying that those who did not know their own caste were asking for a caste census – found support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress submitted a privilege notice against Modi.
Congress MP and former Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi wrote to Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Wednesday (July 31), giving notice to move a privilege motion under Rule 222 against Modi for posting on X Thakur’s speech in the lower house, parts of which were expunged from House proceedings.
“There is a lot of talk of caste census and OBCs. Jiski jaat ka pata nahi, wo ganna ki baat karta hai [one who’s caste is not known, he is talking about a caste census],” said Thakur on Tuesday during his speech in the discussion of the Union budget 2024-25 without naming Gandhi.
While the Lok Sabha saw a heated exchange between the opposition and the treasury benches following Thakur’s remarks, Modi later on Tuesday evening shared a portion of Thakur’s speech on X, calling it a “must hear”.
“This speech by my young and energetic colleague, Shri @ianuragthakur is a must hear. A perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance,” wrote Modi.
In his notice, Channi wrote to Birla that while the “objectionable remarks” made by Thakur had been expunged from parliamentary records, they had been posted by the prime minister.
“It is, however, shocking to note that these expunged portions had been tweeted by the prime minister on X along with the whole speech video. In addition to this other objectionable expunged words in the speech had also been tweeted,” the notice said.
Channi said in his letter that the prime minister’s tweeting of Thakur’s expunged remarks “clearly amounts to a breach of privilege and contempt of the House” and requested that privilege proceedings be initiated against Modi.
Also on Wednesday, members of the opposition INDIA alliance protested in the Lok Sabha against Thakur’s remarks in the well of the House during question hour and demanded an apology from the prime minister, leading proceedings to be adjourned briefly until noon.
“I condemn the opposition’s behaviour in the House today. The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi keep crying ‘caste, caste’ all day, everyday … The Congress today has tried to weaken the country. I want to tell the House through the speaker that the Congress tried to break the country by criticising the army … and worked to end Indian democracy and [to] spread anarchy and violence … We will follow the rules and regulations,” said Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju before the House was adjourned.