Kharge Demands Thakur’s Resignation Over Defamatory Remarks in Parliament

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president, on Thursday accused BJP MP Anurag Thakur of tarnishing his reputation with unfounded allegations made during a Lok Sabha debate. Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge condemned Thakur’s remarks, which were later withdrawn following protests from Congress members, and demanded the MP either substantiate his claims or step down from his parliamentary position.

Kharge highlighted that Thakur’s statements, made during discussions on the Waqf Bill in the Lower House, were retracted after being challenged as defamatory. “Despite the withdrawal, the harm to my reputation has already been inflicted,” Kharge told the Rajya Sabha. He noted that the allegations continued to circulate widely across media outlets and social media platforms, amplifying their impact.

The Congress leader called for apologies from both Thakur and J P Nadda, the Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha, describing it as the minimum accountability the ruling party owed him. “Yesterday, Anurag Thakur leveled utterly baseless accusations against me in the Lok Sabha,” Kharge said. “When my colleagues objected, he had no choice but to retract his slanderous words. Yet the damage persists.”

In a direct challenge, Kharge asserted that Thakur must provide evidence for his claims or resign from Parliament. “If he cannot prove his allegations, he has no place here,” Kharge declared, adding that he would resign himself if the accusations were substantiated. Following his address, opposition members walked out of the session in a show of solidarity.