'PM Narendra Modi not able to make eye contact with Rahul Gandhi': Shatrughan Sinha
Shatrughan Sinha claimed that the BJP wasn't facing an old Opposition.
Trinamool Congress MP Shatrughan Sinha on Wednesday claimed Prime Minister Narendra Modi wasn't being able to make eye contact with the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi. Reacting to the controversy triggered by BJP MP Anurag Thakur, he said it was wrong to ask about the Leader of Opposition's caste.
"It was wrong. It is wrong to ask about the caste of a powerful, popular leader of the opposition, Rahul Gandhi. You cannot ask about caste like this. We are trying to make Anurag Thakur understand, who is also our own," Sinha said.
He also claimed that the BJP wasn't facing an old Opposition.
"This is not the Opposition of the past, the government is also not like the one it used to be. The PM is not able to make eye contact with the Leader of the Opposition when the LoP is daring him. This is a fragile government. If they continue like this, it would be problematic," he added.
Also read: BJP defends ‘caste’ jibe at Rahul Gandhi; Congress seeks privilege motion against PM Modi
In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the Opposition was able to stop the BJP from achieving a majority. With 240 Lok Sabha seats, the party fell 32 short of a simple majority in the Lok Sabha. The BJP formed a government at the Centre with support from its NDA allies.
Anurag Thakur triggered a row on Tuesday with his remark that those whose caste was unknown talk about a caste-based census. He later said he hadn't named anyone in the remark.
However, LoP Rahul Gandhi claimed the remark was directed at him. He claimed Thakur had abused and insulted him.
Also read: 'What's wrong in asking about Rahul Gandhi's caste': Union minister Kiren Rijiju
The BJP, however, defended Thakur.
"Anurag Thakur did not take any names, he only said that those who don't know their caste, want to conduct a caste-based census, but still reactions started coming in from one side. Those who want to ask the whole country about their caste, are now saying that asking about it is abuse. Do they want to abuse the whole nation?... Rahul Gandhi should answer who stopped the caste census in 1951. Who wrote a letter in 1961 and said that reservation is not good?... They are reacting this way because they are exposed after Anurag Thakur's question," said BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.
With inputs from PTI, ANI