Congress moves motion against PM Modi for sharing Anurag Thakur’s speech on X amid caste row

Congress moves motion against PM Modi for sharing Anurag Thakur’s speech on X amid caste row

New Delhi : In what could escalate the row over BJP leader Anurag Thakur's caste remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the main Opposition has submitted a privilege complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for praising Mr Thakur for his speech. Jalandhar MP and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has submitted a complaint to the Lok Sabha secretary general. 

Mr Channi has said in his letter that "certain objectionable remarks" made by Mr Thakur were expunged from the proceedings of the House. "It is, however, shocking to note that these expunged pertions had been tweeted by the Prime Minister on X along with whole speech video. In addition to this other objectionable expunged words in the speech had also been tweeted as laid down in Practice and Procedure of Parliament by Kaul & Shakdher," he has said.

Mr Channi told NDTV that expunged remarks cannot be publicly repeated. "But the Prime Minister publicised them by tweeting," he said. On the BJP's contention that the remarks had not been expunged when the Prime Minister tweeted, he said, "They were expunged in the House right away."

Amid the row over the five-time MP's remark, the Prime Minister shared a video of Mr Thakur's speech on X and said it is a "must hear". "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," he said.

The Congress responded sharply, saying that the Prime Minister had encouraged a "serious breach of parliamentary privilege" by sharing the speech, which it described as a "highly abusive and unconstitutional tirade".