Mallikarjun Kharge Demands Apology from Anurag Thakur Over Unfounded Allegations
NEW DELHI: During Thursday’s Zero Hour session in the Rajya Sabha, opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge called on BJP MP Anurag Thakur to issue an apology for what he described as baseless allegations in the Lok Sabha. Kharge asserted that his public life has always been transparent and built on hard-fought values, adding, “After nearly 60 years in politics, I do not deserve this treatment.”
Kharge accused Thakur of making completely false charges against him, stating, “Yesterday, Anurag Thakur hurled entirely baseless accusations at me in the Lok Sabha.” He warned, “If these BJP members intend to intimidate me into submission, let it be known that while I may break, I will never bow down!” Kharge also shared his sentiments on X.
VIDEO | The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge), on Thursday termed the allegations levelled against him by Anurag Thakur in the Lok Sabha baseless, saying the remarks damaged his reputation as he dared the BJP MP to prove them or else resign.… pic.twitter.com/HQrZNcpUUV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 3, 2025
The controversy escalated after Thakur criticized the Congress party in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday regarding its opposition to the Waqf bill. Thakur argued that the proposed legislation would dismantle what he termed the Congress’s “politics of appeasement.” He further alleged that opposition groups had exploited properties managed by the Waqf Board as a “vote bank ATM” and questioned the party’s integrity in light of scandals in Karnataka and issues concerning their national president.
Kharge stressed that although Thakur was compelled to retract his defamatory remarks following a challenge from a colleague, the damage had already been inflicted. “Despite the withdrawal, these comments continue to spread across media outlets and social platforms,” he said. The Congress leader demanded that an apology be issued by the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, warning that if Thakur cannot substantiate his claims, he does not have a place in Parliament and should resign. “If the allegations are proven, I will resign,” Kharge added.