Akhilesh Yadav defends Rahul Gandhi amidst heated exchange with Anurag Thakur over caste

In a heated exchange in the Indian Parliament, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav came to the defense of Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi after BJP MP Anurag Thakur made a veiled remark during a debate on the caste census.

Thakur's comment, "The one whose caste is not known is talking about the census," sparked uproar in the house, leading to demands from opposition members for an apology.

Akhilesh Yadav, supporting Gandhi, questioned the appropriateness of asking someone's caste, highlighting the sensitivity and complexity of the issue. He said, "How can you ask someone’s caste? You can not ask anyone’s caste."

Thakur, in his defense, clarified that his remarks were not directed at any individual. The Speaker ordered Thakur to sit to allow Rahul to respond.

Responding to Thakur's remarks, Rahul Gandhi emphasized the need for a caste census, stating, "Whoever in this country speaks for the Dalits, OBCs, and tribals faces abuses. I will take all the abuses happily. We will get the caste census done." He likened himself to Arjun in the Mahabharata, focusing solely on his goal despite the criticisms. He added that he does not need Thakur's apology.

The discussion escalated into a debate over the Agnipath scheme, a government initiative aimed at recruiting young soldiers. Yadav criticized the scheme, accusing the government of manipulating public perception through endorsements from prominent industrialists. He questioned the necessity of providing job quotas for Agniveers in states like Uttar Pradesh if the scheme was indeed beneficial.

"When the Agniveer scheme was first introduced, prominent industrialists were made to tweet that there was no better plan and that they would offer jobs to Agniveers. Perhaps the government remembers this because it admits that the scheme is not right, which is why they are asking their state governments to provide quotas and jobs for returning Agniveers," said Yadav.

Thakur defended the Agnipath scheme, referencing his home state of Himachal Pradesh's military contributions and the government's fulfillment of the 'One Rank One Pension' demand. He asserted that the scheme guaranteed 100% employment for participants. In response, Yadav challenged this claim, highlighting the government's contradictory actions in offering quotas.

The exchange grew more personal, with Thakur pointing to his own military service and accusing Yadav of spreading misinformation, a habit he attributed to Yadav's association with Rahul Gandhi. Yadav, in turn, suggested that Thakur's defensiveness was a result of his political insecurity, particularly since he was no longer a minister.