Accusing the Congress of being “anti-BR Ambedkar, anti-reservation and anti-Constitution,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the opposition party has been presenting facts about his speech in Rajya Sabha in a 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 a 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 Emergency, they violated all Constitutional values,” he said.
“A discussion was held over the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. During this, we also held discussions over the country’s achievements in the last 75 years. It is obvious that parties and people will have a different point of view over different issues. But discussion should always be held based on facts,” he added.
A massive political row has erupted over Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar during his speech in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Congress has accused Shah of being anti-Ambedkar and has demanded his resignation.
Shah said Congress governments did not give Bharat Ratna to Ambedkar and it was conferred on him posthumously when a government supported by BJP was in power at the Centre.
“When the discussion was going on in the Parliament, it was proved how the Congress opposed Baba Saheb Ambedkar. How the Congress tried to make fun of Baba Saheb even after his death… As far as giving Bharat Ratna is concerned, Congress leaders have given Bharat Ratna to themselves many times. Nehru gave Bharat Ratna to himself in 1955, Indira gave Bharat Ratna to herself in 1971 and Baba Saheb got Bharat Ratna in 1990, when the Congress party was not in power and there was a government supported by Bharatiya Janata Party… Nehru’s hatred towards Ambedkar is well known,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended Amit Shah’s remarks and said that the union minister exposed the Congress’ “dark history of insulting” Baba Saheb 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.