NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched a massive coordinated counterstrike against the Congress party, which has been mounting pressure on the saffron party to apologise over Union home minister Amit Shah’s remark on Ambedkar.
Even though the Parliament is out of session, the political rancour over Ambedkar, which began during the debate on the Consitution, has only become more bitter, with the ruling BJP criticising the Congress for “wasting” the Winter Session.
The BJP CMs, including Yogi Adityanath, Devendra Fadnavis and Pushkar Singh Dhami, took on the Congress over the sansad scuffle and Shah’s remark, listing out the past incidents and equations the grand-old party had with Ambedkar.
The ruling party also sought Congress’s apology for twisting Amit Shah’s remark and sharing an “edited” clip of the same.
‘Congress tried keeping Ambedkar out of Parliament’
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, in a piercing attack at the Congress party, claimed that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was against Ambedkar’s inclusion in the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.
“Even Pt Nehru campaigned against Ambedkar to ensure his defeat. The Congress consistently worked to keep him out of Parliament and to silence the voice of Dalits and marginalised communities,” the UP chief minister claimed.
Yogi Adityanath highlighted Congress’s “apathy” as he accused the party of working to defeat Ambedkar in elections, including the 1952 general elections from Mumbai North and the 1954 byelections.
“During the UPA regime, the Congress displayed its malice when a textbook portrayed a derogatory cartoon of Ambedkar being prodded by Pt Nehru. It was only after widespread protests that the book was withdrawn and the then HRD minister, Kapil Sibal, had to apologise,” Adityanath stated.
‘Congress acting out of frustration’
Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadanvis also hit out at the Congress for “acting out of frustration” and asked the party to apologise for “wasting the time of Parliament and now wasting the people’s time”.
“Congress is acting out of frustration because it has been revealed how its leaders, from Nehru ji to Rahul Gandhi, have consistently insulted the Constitution and denied reservation. This is the same Congress that has continually disrespected Baba Saheb,” CM Fadnavis said.
The Maharashtra CM said the grand-old party should apologise for editing the statement of Amit Shah and later politicising it.
“The Congress party should first apologise for editing the statement of home minister Amit Shah and politicising it. They disrupted the Parliament session. Prime Minister Modi, during his speech in Parliament, exposed how the Congress has repeatedly insulted the Constitution–from Nehru to Indira, from Rajiv to Sonia,” CM Fadnavis said.
Asked about the Congress’s nationwide protest against Shah, he said it was mere drama.
‘Shedding crocodile tears’
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said the Congress “didn’t let BR Ambedkar’s picture on the central hall of Parliament”.
“Those people who snatched his opportunity to speak at Parliament after he resigned from his ministerial post, those people are shedding crocodile tears today,” said Chhattisgarh CM.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi said Ambedkar had to resign after his difference with Nehru on religion-based quota.Majhi alleged that earlier Congress governments prioritised quotas for Muslims while ignoring the interests of STs and SCs.
“Ambedkar strongly opposed this, leading to differences with Nehru, which eventually resulted in his resignation,” Majhi claimed.
Majhi also alleged that in 1970, the Congress government conferred a Padma award to Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar, who had defeated Ambedkar in elections.
‘Congress is power hungry’
Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma also attacked the Congress party amid the Ambedkar row, saying the party did not build a single memorial on Baba Saheb and that it “should have some shame”.
“Congress party was in power for so long but it did not even give Bharat Ratna to Baba Saheb. Bharat Ratna was given during the coalition government of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Congress did not build a single memorial of Baba Saheb. Panch Teerth was built by the BJP government. Congress always resorted to lies and loot,” Rajasthan CM said.
“Congress did the politics of corruption. Congress party should have some shame. They are distorting the speech of the Union home minister. Congress cannot live without power. They are power hungry…BJP government works for the welfare of the poor,” Sharma said.
Toeing the same line, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav said when Congress was in power “it built memorials and schemes in the name of one family”.
“The people of the country are intelligent and they (Congress) cannot fool the people,” Madhya Pradesh CM said.
‘Divisive politics won’t succeed’
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami also took a charge in criticising the Congress, claiming the party was frustrated after its dismal poll performance in Haryana and Maharashtra.
“Congress party have always worked to insult Dr Ambedkar ji. Congress never respected him. When Baba Saheb was made a member of the Constituent Assembly, many Congress leaders opposed him… Prime Minister Modi is continuously getting public support, whether it is Haryana elections or Maharashtra elections, Congress is completely frustrated and disappointed with all this,” Dhami said.
He further said: “The public has taught them a lesson. Even now the public will teach them a lesson and we will completely expose them. We will never let their divisive politics succeed.”
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