PM Modi attacks Congress: 'Party, its rotten ecosystem think their lies can hide insult towards Dr Ambedkar'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, December 18, lashed out at the Congress, accusing the party of attempting to conceal its past misdeeds and disrespect towards Dr BR Ambedkar.

Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think their malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr. Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken! The people of India have seen time and again how one Party, led by one dynasty, has indulged in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and humiliate the SC/ST communities.”

The prime minister, in his post, further listed out Congress' sins towards Dr Ambedkar. He wrote, “Getting him defeated in elections not once but twice. Pandit Nehru campaigning against him and making his loss a prestige issue. Denying him a Bharat Ratna. Denying his portrait a place of pride in Parliament’s Central Hall.”

Lashing out at the Congress, the PM added, “The party 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.”

Additionally, NDTV reported that PM Modi and Amit Shah met Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge during the Ambedkar controversy.

Several MPs of the INDIA bloc staged a protest on Parliament premises on Wednesday, demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology for his remarks which they claimed were an insult to BR Ambedkar.

What is the Dr Amedkar row all about?

While speaking during the debate on Constitution of India in the Upper House on Tuesday, Home Minister Amit Shah took a swipe at the opposition leaders for repeatedly using Ambedkar's name.

"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 had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)," Shah is heard saying in the video.

Congress' reaction to Amit Shah's RS speech

The Congress demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks in the Rajya Sabha. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We demand the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for 'insulting' Ambedkar; he should apologise to the nation."

Rahul Gandhi said, “Those who believe in Manusmriti will definitely have problems with Ambedkar ji.” The party alleged that Shah's remarks during a debate on the Constitution show that the BJP and the RSS leaders have a "lot of hatred" for Ambedkar.

The Congress is also staging protests across the country at the Raj Bhavans of all states, including Chandigarh, Patna, Jammu, and Assam, against Amit Shah's remark on BR Ambedkar and the Manipur and Adani issues. 

Opposition walks out of Maharashtra Legislative Council

Opposition members walked out of the Maharashtra Legislative Council on Wednesday after not being allowed to discuss Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar. Congress leader Nitin Raut said they would not tolerate the "insult" of Ambedkar whom they revere as God. NCP-SCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, while speaking to ANI, said, "... This is passion, not fashion... Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar pulled us out of hell... They do not have love towards Babasaheb Ambedkar; they wanted to bring Manusmriti and it would have come had Babasaheb Ambedkar not been there..."

(With inputs from agencies)