"Perfect mix of facts, humour; exposing dirty politics of INDI Alliance": PM Modi over Anurag Thakur's speech in LS

New Delhi [India], July 30 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday applauded BJP leader Anurag Thakur for his speech in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, where the latter responded to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's earlier address and described it as "a perfect mix of facts and humour."
"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," PM Modi posted on X.
Anurag Thakur defended the BJP's lotus symbol and launched a scathing attack on the Congress party during the discussion on the Union Budget on Tuesday.
Thakur began by congratulating Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on presenting the seventh consecutive budget, describing it as a "budget that resonates with public sentiments." He then replied to the criticisms from opposition leaders who had made derogatory remarks about the BJP's election symbol, the lotus.
"The lotus is not just our election symbol but also represents Goddess Lakshmi, our national flower, and the meditative posture of Padmasana," Thakur stated. He accused the opposition of insulting revered figures like Lord Shiva, Buddha, and Lokmanya Tilak by disparaging the lotus.
Meanwhile, RJD leader Manoj Jha criticized PM Modi for applauding Thakur's speech in the Lower House and posted on X, "Prime Minister has proved by his long tweets in praise of the former minister who used to say 'shoot them/abuse them' how regressive and medieval his views are about today's most burning issue of social justice, i.e., caste census. Sir! History takes note of everything!"
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the BJP over the 'caste census' and said that the BJP-RSS wants to snatch away reservations of backward classes under conspiratorial pretexts.
"Yes, I am an Indian and a Dalit, but I don't know how many of us are. Yes, I am tribal, but I don't know how many we are. Yes, I am OBC, but I don't know how many we are. Today we all need to assess what our contribution is to the progress of this country. BJP-RSS people are conspiring to hide this from us so that they can keep us backward and usurp our rights by snatching away reservations under conspiratorial pretexts," Kharge posted on X.
"BJP-RSS believes in 'Manusmriti' and not even an iota in the Constitution of Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar. They want to continue the 5,000-year-old social exploitation in this country," he added.
Referring to the standout of Anurag Thakur and Rahul Gandhi in the Lower House on Tuesday over the caste census, Kharge said, " The caste census is the need of the hour so that social, economic, and political empowerment can be implemented for marginalized people! So that the benefit of equal opportunity and participation can be taken! But the Modi government is depriving us of this. #gintii_kro This is our resolve. The Indian National Congress is ready to listen to any casteist abuse, but we are determined to implement the caste census!"
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi accused Anurag Thakur of "abusing and insulting" him in the Lok Sabha during the discussion on the Union Budget.
Anurag Thakur entered into a heated argument with Rahul Gandhi during his speech in the Lower House of the Parliament, saying that those whose caste is unknown are speaking on the issue of caste-census.
Reacting to this, the Congress leader said that whoever raises the issues of Adivasi, Dalit, and the backward gets abused.
"Those whose caste is not known, talk about the caste-census">caste census. I want to remind the Speaker that in this House itself, a former prime minister RG-1 (Rajiv Gandhi) had opposed reservation for OBCs," the BJP MP said.
Rahul Gandhi replied, "Whoever raises the issues of Adivasi, Dalit and the backward, is abused. I will happily accept these abuses...Anurag Thakur has abused me and insulted me. But I do not want any apology from him."
Sawamjwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav also intervened in the conservation and questioned Anurag Thakur how one could ask about the caste of any person.
"How can you ask caste...?" he asked BJP leader in the Lower House.
The caste census was one of the Congress party's promises in the 2024 general elections.