Modi joins Rahul vs Anurag showdown over 'caste'

Terming Bharatiya Janata Party MP Anurag Thakur's speech on the Budget a "highly abusive and unconstitutional tirade", the Congress on Wednesday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged a "serious breach of parliamentary privilege" by sharing it on X.

Congress general secretary in-charge, communications, Jairam Ramesh slammed Thakur for making an apparent reference to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's caste during a discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha.

Prime Minister Modi praised Thakur's speech and said it was a "must hear".

Tagging Modi's post on X, Ramesh said, "This speech that the non-biological Prime Minister calls a 'must hear' is a highly abusive and unconstitutional tirade -- and by sharing it, he has encouraged a serious breach of Parliamentary privilege."

Thakur brought parliamentary discourse to a new low by asking a fellow MP and the leader of opposition about his caste identity, Ramesh said.

Upon protests from the opposition benches, the Chair, Jagadambika Pal, assured MPs that the comments will be expunged, he said.

"In a departure from all parliamentary norms -- expunged comments are edited out of videos uploaded online -- Sansad TV has uploaded the unedited speech, and the non-biological Prime Minister has shared and praised it publicly," Ramesh said.

"This is a new and shameful low in the annals of India's parliamentary history. It reflects the BJP-RSS and Mr. Modi's deep-rooted casteism," the Congress leader alleged.

Thakur's apparent reference to Gandhi's caste triggered an ugly spat between the opposition and treasury benches.

Gandhi accused Thakur of insulting and abusing him during the debate but asserted that he would not seek any apology from the former Union minister.

"Anurag Thakur insulted me and I don't want any apology from him. Abuse or insult me as hard as you can but don't forget we will pass the caste census in this Parliament for sure," the leader of opposition said in the House.

Sharing Thakur's speech on X on Tuesday, Modi said. "This speech by my young and energetic colleague Shri Anurag Thakur is a must hear. A perfect mix of facts and humour, exposing the dirty politics of the INDI Alliance."

As the row erupted in Parliament, the Congress said the Gandhi family's caste is martyrdom but the BJP-RSS will never understand that.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also came down heavily on Thakur's apparent questioning of Gandhi's caste in the Lok Sabha.

"A socio-economic caste census is the demand of 80 per cent of the people of this country. Today, it was said in Parliament that those whose caste is not known talk about a caste census," she said in a post in Hindi on X on Tuesday.

Will 80 per cent of India's population be abused in Parliament now, she asked.

"Narendra Modi should clarify whether this happened at his behest," she said.