Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge initiated a blistering counterattack in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, brushing aside BJP MP Anurag Thakur’s charge of appropriating Waqf land. Drawing upon the popular Pushpa dialogue, Kharge asserted, “Jhukunga nahi!”
Kharge’s robust rebuttal came after Thakur’s allegations a day ago during the Lok Sabha discussion on the Waqf bill. The seasoned Congress leader not only denied the allegations but also called for an apology from the BJP, saying he would not be deterred by unsubstantiated attacks.
“Agar BJP ke log mujhe darakar jhukaana chahte hain, main kabhi nahi jhukunga. Main toot jaaunga but jhukunga nahi. Yaad rakho, main daraane se darrne vaala nahi (If BJP leaders want to scare me into submission, I will never bow down. I may break, but I will never bend. Remember, I am not someone who gets scared by intimidation),” he said.
अगर ये BJP के लोग मुझे डराकर झुकाना चाहते हैं, तो उन्हें याद दिला दूं कि मैं टूट जाऊंगा लेकिन कभी झुकूंगा नहीं !
I rise in deep anguish. My life has always been an open book, full of struggles and battles, but I have always upheld the highest values in public life. After almost… pic.twitter.com/SfykZTnqAY
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 3, 2025
Kharge Calls Allegations a ‘Stain’ on His Career
The Congress leader was deeply outraged by Thakur’s comments, contending that his decades-long political career had been unfairly discredited. He reiterated his commitment to honesty and public service, claiming that after almost 60 years in politics, he did not deserve such an accusation.
“My life has always been an open book. It has been full of struggles and battles. But I have always upheld the highest values in public life. After almost 60 years in politics, I don’t deserve this. Yesterday, completely false and baseless charges were hurled at me in the Lok Sabha by Anurag Thakur. When challenged by my colleagues, he was forced to withdraw his remarks. But the damage has been done,’
‘Prove It or Resign’: Kharge Challenges Thakur
Demanding accountability, Mallikarjun Kharge had appealed to Thakur either to substantiate his charges or resign from parliamentary membership. Kharge went ahead and challenged his BJP counterpart on the latter, also saying that he would resign personally if any incriminating evidence of occupation by him or any of his kin on Waqf land arose.
“He should resign. But if his charges are proved, I will resign…If he proves that even one matter of Waqf land is occupied by me or my children, I will resign. I’m not afraid of these things. I’m the son of a labourer.”
Kharge’s emotive speech has raised the political standoff to a new pitch, paving the way for more heated exchanges in Parliament.
