NEW DELHI: A massive political row erupted on Wednesday over Union minister Amit Shah’s remark on Dr. BR Ambedkar as the Congress tried to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the saffron party defended its leader’s remarks. As the opposition MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi protested in Parliament premises, both the Houses were adjourned till 2 pm within minutes amid uproar over the issue.
Proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned amid chants of “Jai Bhim” from the opposition.
Meanwhile, parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju defended Shah was right in pointing out how Congress was misusing Ambedkar’s name.
“The home minister expressed our reverence for Dr. BR Ambedkar in many words and also mentioned how the Congress party insulted Ambedkar during his lifetime. Despite being alive and even after his passing, the Congress party did not honor him with the Bharat Ratna for many years,” Rijiju said in Rajya Sabha.
He further accused the grand old party of insulting Ambedkar by working to defeat him in the 1952 general elections and playing with the country’s dignity.
“Additionally, the Congress party insulted him by working to defeat him in the 1952 elections. When a by-election occurred again, the Congress party once again defeated him. If the Congress party had not defeated him, Ambedkar would have been a member of parliament. By defeating him, they played with the country’s dignity,” Rijiju said.
“Today, by using his name, they have misused it, which the Home Minister pointed out, saying they have repeatedly deceived by using his name. Otherwise, what was the reason? I am a person who follows the path shown by Ambedkar. In this country, Ambedkar resigned from the position of Law Minister in 1951. After 71 years, Prime Minister Modi appointed a second law minister. We follow the path shown by Ambedkar. I condemn those who misuse Ambedkar’s name for vote bank politics,” he added.
Further during a presser, Rijiju refuted Congress’ allegation against Shah and said that the party wants to gain votes in Ambedkar’s name
“Congress party insulted Baba Saheb Ambedkar while he was alive and now to wash off that sin, they want to gain votes by repeatedly taking Ambedkar ji’s name. I want to refute the drama that they (Congress) have done today by taking out a small clip of that and creating a ruckus in the House and then roaming around with Baba Saheb’s picture outside…”
Leading the Congress attack, party chief Mallikarjun Kharge accused Shah of opposing the Constitution made by Ambedkar and demanded his resignation.
“When Amit Shah was talking about Dr BR Ambedkar, he said ‘you people keep chanting the name of Ambedkar 100 times, if you took the name of God these many times, you would have gone to heaven 7 times’. This means that taking the name of Baba Saheb Ambedkar is a crime and his intention was to oppose the Constitution made by Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” Kharge said.
“I opposed this but I was not given the opportunity. Since proceedings of the House on Baba Saheb Ambedkar were underway, he decided to remain silent. I demand his resignation,” he added.
This comes a day after Shah, in his address in Rajya Sabha, said that taking BR Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion” now.
“Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai – Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar’. If they took God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven),” Shah said.
“If people took God’s name as much, they would get a place in heaven.Take his name 100 times more, but I want to say what are your sentiments about him,” he added.
