Keep Insulting, I’ll Keep Fighting: Rahul Gandhi

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – In a heated debate over the demand for a caste census, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi took center stage in the Lok Sabha on July 30. The discussion turned personal when BJP MP Anurag Thakur remarked that those whose caste is unknown were calling for an enumeration, a comment perceived as a dig at Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi responded sharply, stating, “Anyone who fights for the disadvantaged gets insulted. No amount of abuse could deter me. 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 passed here (in Parliament).”

The exchange intensified when an MP from the treasury benches suggested that this would mean Gandhi would also have to disclose his caste. Gandhi retorted by launching a broadside at the BJP, asserting that those who advocate for Dalits, tribals, and backward classes are often insulted.

Using an example from the Mahabharata, Gandhi likened his focus on the caste census to Arjun’s focus on the eye of the fish he was supposed to shoot an arrow through, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to the cause, NDTV reported.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, an ally of the Congress and part of the INDIA bloc, supported Gandhi and questioned Thakur’s comments about anyone’s caste, the media outlet said.