Ambedkar row: A political row has erupted over the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Dr BR Ambedkar during his address to the Rajya Sabha on December 17 (Tuesday). While the Congress has accused HM Shah of insulting the architect of the Constitution, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the Opposition parties were circulating clipped videos and playing cheap tricks.
Several MPs of the INDIA bloc today staged a protest in Parliament premises demanding Shah's apology for his remarks on Ambedkar which they claimed were an insult to BR Ambedkar.
What Amit Shah exactly said in Rajya Sabha? | WATCH FULL VIDEO
Congress presented facts in 'distorted' way: Amit Shah
Accusing the Congress of being anti-BR Ambedkar, anti-reservation and anti-Constitution, Union Home Minister Amit Shah today (December 18) said the opposition party has been presenting facts about his speech in Rajya Sabha in distorted way.
Addressing a press conference here, Amit Shah also attacked Congress over the Emergency and said the discussion in Parliament on 150 years of the Constitution "proved how the Congress opposed Baba Saheb Ambedkar"
"Since yesterday, Congress has been presenting the facts in distorted way and I condemn it... Congress is anti-BR Ambedkar, it is against reservation and the Constitution. Congress also insulted Veer Savarkar. By imposing an Emergency, they violated all Constitutional values," he said.
PM Modi defends Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended Amit Shah's remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar and said that Shah exposed the Congress' dark history of insulting Ambedkar after which they were clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented. In a series of posts on X, PM Modi said that Congress sat in power for years but did nothing to empower the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
"In Parliament, Amit Shah Ji exposed the Congress' dark history of insulting Dr Ambedkar and ignoring the SC/ST Communities. They are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented, which is why they are now indulging in theatrics! Sadly, for them, people know the truth! Congress can try as they want but they can't deny that the worst massacres against SC/ST Communities have happened under their regimes. For years, they sat in power but did nothing substantive to empower the SC and ST communities," PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister listed the Congress' sins towards Babasaheb Ambedkar.
"The list of the Congress' sins towards Dr Ambedkar includes- Getting him defeated in elections not once but twice. Pandit Nehru campaigned against him making his loss a prestige issue. Denying him a Bharat Ratna. Denying his portrait, a place of pride in Parliament's Central Hall," he said.
Mallikarjun Kharge slams Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar
Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge today criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remark on Babasaheb Ambedkar demanding an apology from Shah for his remarks during the Constitution debate in the Rajya Sabha. While addressing a press conference in the national capital, Kharge also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Shah by midnight if he truly respects Ambedkar.
"We demand that Amit Shah should apologize and if PM Modi has faith in Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar then he should be sacked by midnight... He has no right to remain in the cabinet, he should be sacked only then people will remain silent, otherwise, people will protest. People are ready to sacrifice their lives for Dr BR Ambedkar," he said.
The Congress President condemned Shah's statement saying that the BJP-led NDA government don't believe in the Consitution."Yesterday, Amit Shah said something which is very condemnable. It is unfortunate that a Dalit, who should be worshipped, was insulted. I am forced to say that these people (BJP-led NDA government) don't believe in the Constitution," he said.
Kharge further highlighted the tweets done by PM Modi supporting Shah's remarks and said, "They are friends and they support each other's sins."
"PM Modi made 6-7 tweets to defend Amit Shah. What was the need for this? If someone says wrong about BR Ambedkar, he should be removed from the cabinet. But they are friends and are supporting each other's sins," the Congress chief said.
Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson Prakash Ambedkar also alleged on Wednesday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on the father of the Constitution reflected the BJP's "same old mentality".
