Protests Over Anurag Thakur's Nehru-Gandhi Remarks, Lok Sabha Adjourned

Protests Over Anurag Thakur's Nehru-Gandhi Remarks, Lok Sabha Adjourned

A fierce row in the Lok Sabha over a Minister's comments on the Nehru-Gandhi family and a Congress leader calling him a chhokra (boy) led to multiple adjournments for the first time in this parliament session, which is being held with unprecedented changes because of the coronavirus crisis.

In the commotion, opposition members also accused the Speaker of bias.

The fight started when Union Minister Anurag Thakur spoke out in defence of the PM-CARES fund, which the opposition says lacks transparency. He spoke while introducing the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Anurag Thakur, her deputy, would talk about PM-CARES, the fund set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the coronavirus battle

From the high court to the Supreme Court, every court has validated the PM-CARES fund. Little children have contributed to it from their piggy banks. When you come to discussion for PM CARES, please do look at the PM National Relief Fund. In 1948, then PM Nehru-ji (Jawaharlal Nehru) ordered the creation of a Prime Minister's National Relief Fund like a royal order. From 1948 till today, it has not been registered. How did it get (foreign contribution) FCRA clearance? The trust is not registered. PM CARES is a registered public charitable trust. This is for 130 crore people. You created a trust for the Gandhi family. Nehru, Sonia Gandhi were members of the PM National Relief Fund. This should be investigated," said Anurag Thakur.

His remarks provoked a roar of protests from the opposition benches, specifically Congress MPs.NDTV