Congress files complaint against PM over support for Anurag Thakur amid caste controversy

New Delhi: In a development that could intensify the ongoing controversy over BJP leader Anurag Thakur's remarks about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party has lodged a privilege complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The complaint was filed by Jalandhar MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to the Lok Sabha Secretary General.

Complaint against PM

Charanjit Singh Channi's letter emphasized that certain "objectionable remarks" made by Anurag Thakur were expunged from the parliamentary proceedings. Channi pointed out, "It is, however, shocking to note that these expunged portions had been tweeted by the Prime Minister on X (formerly Twitter) along with the whole speech video. In addition to this, other objectionable expunged words in the speech had also been tweeted, which is against the rules outlined in Practice and Procedure of Parliament by Kaul & Shakdher."

What has Channi said? 

Channi emphasized in an interview with NDTV that expunged remarks are not meant to be repeated publicly. He stated, "But the Prime Minister publicized them by tweeting." When the BJP argued that the remarks were not expunged at the time of the tweet, Channi responded, "They were expunged in the House right away."

Prime Minister's controversial tweet

Amid the controversy, Prime Minister Modi shared a video of Anurag Thakur's speech on X, calling it a "must-hear." He praised Thakur's speech, saying, "This speech by my young and energetic colleague, Shri @ianuragthakur is a must-hear. A perfect mix of facts and humor, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance."

Congress's sharp response

The Congress party reacted strongly, accusing the Prime Minister of encouraging a "serious breach of parliamentary privilege" by sharing the speech. They described Thakur's speech as a "highly abusive and unconstitutional tirade." The remarks made by Thakur against Gandhi drew immediate backlash from the Opposition. Senior Congress MP Jagdambika Pal, who was presiding over the session, assured that the remarks would be expunged.

Allegations of deep-rooted casteism

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh pointed out that while expunged comments are typically edited out of official videos, Sansad TV had uploaded the unedited speech. He condemned this action, saying, "This is a new and shameful low in the annals of India's parliamentary history. It reflects the BJP-RSS and Modi's deep-rooted casteism."

What has Anurag Thakur said in his speech? 

Anurag Thakur, a five-time MP from Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, made the controversial remarks during a debate on Budget 2024. His personal attack on Rahul Gandhi provoked a strong reaction from the Opposition. Gandhi, in his response, said, "You can insult me as much as you want, do it every day. But don't forget that we (the opposition) will get the Bill (on Caste Census) passed here (in Parliament)."