On Friday, MoS Finance Anurag Thakur tendered an apology after the Opposition created a ruckus in the Lower House of the Parliament during a heated debate on PM Cares Fund. The Lok Sabha had to be adjourned four times by Speaker Om Birla between 4 pm and 6 pm.
When the House reconvened again, the Speaker urged the Parliamentarians to refrain from making allegations without evidence and desist from playing ‘blame games.’ The firebrand BJP leader then tendered his apology saying, “I had no intent to hurt the sentiments of anybody. Agar kisi ko thes pahunchi hai, to mujhe bhi is baat ki peeda hai (I am remorseful knowing that others are hurt by my comments).”
I had no intent to hurt the sentiments of anybody. Agar kisi ko thes pahunchi hai, to mujhe bhi is baat ki peeda hai: Union Minister Anurag Thakur in Lok Sabha https://t.co/ybgAcNoEAB pic.twitter.com/H4BXwykKgv
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2020
Anurag Thakur slammed the Congress for financial misappropriation
His apology came at the backdrop of accusations of financial impropriety that he levelled against the Nehru-Gandhi family. While addressing the House over the issue of ‘transparency’ regarding the PM Cares Fund, Anurag Thakur had stated, “PM Cares is a registered public charitable trust. I want to challenge the Opposition to prove otherwise. This trust is meant for 138 crore people of this country.”
Lambasting the Congress party, he emphasised, “You created a trust only for the Gandhi family. The PM Relief Fund had members such as Nehru and Sonia Gandhi. There needs to be a detailed discussion (on the financial impropriety). The country should be exposed to your real face. “
A rattled Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury then claimed that Chinese companies had donated ₹500 crores to the PM Cares Fund. He also demanded an investigation into the matter. Dismissing the allegations, Anurag Thakur reiterated, “I do not agree to the allegations. The Nehru-Gandhi family should be named in this. You have misled the country by transferring funds to several charitable organisations and benefitted yourselves. We will expose this. The Gandhi family has betrayed this nation.”
