Lotus with violence. Does that mean you also link Rajiv with violence?” Mr Thakur asked.
While questioning the Congress' stand on caste census, Mr Thakur made certain remarks on caste, which led to an uproar with Congress members stooping into the Well of the Lok Sabha.
Mr Gandhi intervened, saying he has been insulted by the BJP member and asserting that despite all the abuses being hurled at him, the Opposition will ensure the passage of the caste census in the Lower House.
In another intervention, Mr Gandhi said that he does not want an apology from Mr Thakur for his remarks as his only focus, like the Mahabharat's Arjun is on the caste census.
"Whoever raises issues of the dalits and backwards has to face abuses. I don't want any apology," Mr Thakur said.
In response, Mr Thakur alleged that the definition of OBCs for the Congress is "only brother-in-law commission" and not “Other Backward Classes”.
Mr Thakur also referred to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's opposition to reservation for OBCs. Without taking any names, the former Union minister said that a few people are "accidental Hindus" and their knowledge of the Mahabharat is also accidental.
Jagdambika Pal, who was chairing the proceedings, said Mr Thakur's remarks on caste "stand expunged".
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also questioned Mr Thakur for his statement and described it as inappropriate. "How can you ask anybody's caste?" Mr Yadav asked.
The Chair said that nobody in the House is allowed to ask the caste of any person.
An unrelenting Mr Thakur, however, alleged that Mr Gandhi's speeches are written by "Uncle Sam", in apparent reference to Congress leader Sam Pitroda. The BJP MP claimed that Mr Gandhi was using "borrowed wisdom" to make speeches in an attempt to be a "cool dude". He also said that reality and not "reels" make a "real" politician.
Citing excerpts from Mr Tharoor's book The Great Indian Novel, the former Union minister attacked successive Prime Ministers from the Congress using abbreviations, including "N-Ji, IG and RG 1".
Mr Tharoor intervened, saying his repeated references are from a satirical novel written years ago and the BJP leader did not understand the satire.
The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram said that he has written several other books that are not being quoted by Mr Thakur because it is not convenient for the narrative he wanted to convey.
Referring to the Leader of the Opposition's remarks Monday on the Budget halwa ceremony, Mr Thakur referred to a series of alleged scams, including Bofors, CWG, 2G, fodder, urea, coal, jeep and the National Herald, asking "who ate the halwa from the scams" and wondering whether it was sweet or bland.
As he referred to the various scams, members from the Treasury Benches shouted "Congress-Congress".
