Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday hit back at BJP MP Anurag Thakur over what he termed as "wild allegations" against him, daring Thakur to prove the charges or resign from Parliament.
Kharge was referring to certain remarks made by Thakur in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday during the discussion on the Waqf Amendment Bill.
While Thakur’s remarks were later expunged from the records, Kharge asserted that the damage to his reputation had already been done, as the statements had been circulated by the media and social media platforms.
Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha during the morning session, Kharge declared that his life had always been an open book, and he had upheld the highest values in public life.
“After almost 60 years in politics, I do not deserve this. Yesterday, completely false and baseless charges were hurled at me in the Lok Sabha by Anurag Thakur. When he was challenged by my colleagues, he was compelled to withdraw his defamatory remarks,” Kharge said.
“But the damage has been done. His statements damaging my image and reputation have already been picked up by social and other media. As leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and as the president of the Indian National Congress, I am forced to stand up in the House and condemn Thakur’s wild allegations,” he added.
Kharge demanded an apology from the ruling party and stated that if Thakur could not prove his allegations, he should resign.
“If Thakur cannot prove his allegation, he has no right to be in Parliament; he should resign. And if it is proved, I will resign,” he declared.
Kharge also challenged the BJP MP to present evidence that he or his children had occupied even an inch of Waqf land.
He highlighted his humble background, stating, “I am the son of a labourer and have worked hard to rise from the post of Congress’ block committee president to become the president of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).”
He further stated that in his six-decade-long political career, no one had ever pointed fingers at him.
“If these BJP people want to intimidate me and make me bow down, let me remind them that I will break but will never bow down,” Kharge asserted.
On Wednesday, Union minister Anurag Thakur had accused the Congress of misusing Waqf board properties, calling it a tool for the party’s “politics of appeasement.”
Thakur alleged that Waqf properties, meant for the welfare of the Muslim community, had been exploited by the Congress and other opposition parties to establish their stronghold and secure votes, referring to it as their “vote bank ATM.”
Following Kharge’s speech, Union minister of parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju said, “We heard the anguish and the words expressed by the leader of the Opposition. I have stated earlier, also as a colleague, we must have high regard for each other and Mallikarjun Kharge…”
Opposition MPs disrupted Rijiju’s remarks and prevented him from completing his statement.
On October 16, 2024, opposition MPs had boycotted the Waqf Amendment bill 2024 presentation, citing allegations against Kharge from the 2012 Karnataka Waqf scam report.
The report, prepared by former Karnataka BJP vice-president Anwar Manipaddy, detailed extensive corruption and misuse of Waqf properties, implicating Kharge and several other high-profile Congress leaders.
Kharge was alleged to have played a role in the misuse of Waqf lands, particularly in Kalaburagi (formerly known as Gulbarga).
The allegations highlighted a systematic modus operandi used to siphon funds from Waqf institutions, which manage properties dedicated to the welfare of the Muslim community.
According to the report, Waqf institutions own vast properties across India, including prime land in urban and educational hubs.
These lands are often leased at below-market rates, allegedly allowing powerful individuals to pocket a significant portion of the proceeds.
Kharge had denied these allegations, with his supporters dismissing the accusations as baseless.
