BJP's Sambit Patra on Wednesday targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his objections to Anurag Thakur's apparent remarks on Gandhi's caste in the Lok Sabha. Patra said Thakur, during his speech, did not name anyone but only one person felt bad and the Congress leaders created a ruckus in the House.
The BJP leader said that there was nothing wrong in asking that person's caste who was asking everyone about their caste. "I find it very surprising that a person can ask anyone's caste. A few days ago, Rahul Gandhi was asking about the castes of journalists. The caste of journalists can be asked. The caste of administrative officers can be asked. The caste of judges can be asked. You can ask all this, but if someone asks you about your caste, then it becomes an insult," Patra said in an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, who reiterated on Tuesday that his government will pass a caste census in the Parliament.
The Puri MP said that Gandhi had once asked how many Dalits and Adivasis were in the High Courts. "Rahul Gandhi asks about the caste of judges, and you ask about the caste of administrative officers and soldiers. You say that India has the right to know which caste has the most representation in the army, and which religion has how much representation in the army. You feel insulted if your caste is asked, but you can ask about the caste of everyone in India," he said.
Referring to Tuesday's incident when some Congress leaders vehemently opposed Thalur's comment and threw papers in the House, Patra said all Congress MPs stood up and said that this is a sacred House, and no one's caste can be asked here. "You want a caste census, and you are saying that caste cannot be asked inside the House. So how can caste be asked outside? Does that mean this land is not sacred, only the House is sacred? The House is sacred, and so is the country," he said.
"You said that asking about caste inside the House is an insult, so how will the census be done? Show me how," Patra said, adding that he was watching the video in which Rahul Gandhi tried to spread confusion regarding the caste of the Prime Minister. "During the election, Rahul Gandhi tried to make wrong remarks about the caste of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "You can comment on the Prime Minister's caste, but no one can ask about your caste," he said.
The BJP MP said that this was a democratic country and every citizen had a right to question. "If you question the caste of the army. If you have the audacity to question the caste of judges, if you have the audacity of questioning the caste of the officers who appear in the halwa ceremony picture then we as citizens have every right of questioning - kaun jaat ba, we have every right."
On Tuesday, questioning Congress' stand on caste census, Thakur said those whose caste was not known were asking for caste census. This triggered a huge uproar, with some Congress members trooping into the wells of the Lok Sabha. Gandhi accused Thakur of insulting 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 the Opposition said.