AAP protests against Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar, demands apology

Shah’s remarks, made in Parliament on Tuesday, criticised Congress for frequently invoking Ambedkar’s name.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by national convener Arvind Kejriwal, staged a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters on Wednesday over Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar in Parliament on Tuesday. AAP demanded Shah’s immediate apology and called for his removal from office, alleging that his comments insulted Ambedkar and the values he stood for.

Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal vowed to take the protest nationwide. “Dr Ambedkar is the voice of the oppressed and the cornerstone of India’s democracy,” he added. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal vowed to take the protest nationwide. “Dr Ambedkar is the voice of the oppressed and the cornerstone of India’s democracy. Amit Shah’s insult to him is an insult to every Dalit, every underprivileged citizen, and every believer in equality. We will not let this pass,” he said. Kejriwal further accused the BJP of systematically attacking Ambedkar’s ideals, claiming, “The way Prime Minister Modi defended Amit Shah makes it evident that this was not a spontaneous remark but a calculated strategy by the BJP to insult Dr Ambedkar in Parliament.”

During the protest, AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Atishi, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, joined Kejriwal, along with several MLAs and party volunteers. Protesters attempted to march towards the BJP headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg but were stopped by heavy police deployment.

Shah’s remarks, made in Parliament on Tuesday, criticised Congress for frequently invoking Ambedkar’s name. He said, “If they would take God’s name as many times as they took Ambedkar’s, they would have secured heaven for seven lives.”

In response, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva dismissed AAP’s protest as “laughable” and politically motivated. He accused Kejriwal of failing to honour Ambedkar during his 10 years in power. “In contrast, under PM Modi’s leadership, the central government developed the ‘Panchteerth’ in Baba Saheb’s memory and established his memorial at 26 Alipur Road, where he spent his last moments,” Sachdeva said. He added that the Ambedkar International Centre on Janpath was a testament to the BJP’s commitment, while Kejriwal had neither launched any welfare schemes for Dalits nor paid tribute at the Ambedkar memorial across from his official residence.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Devender Yadav also criticised Shah’s remarks, calling them a reflection of BJP and RSS’s antipathy toward Ambedkar and the Constitution. “The very fact that the Modi government is pushing for the ‘One Nation, One Election Bill’ is an attempt to subvert the Constitution and impose authoritarian rule,” he alleged.

Yadav further accused the BJP of trying to undermine Ambedkar’s contributions and democracy while asserting that Congress would resist such attempts. “Those who played no role in India’s independence are now bent upon imposing their own will on the people. Congress will not allow these communal forces to succeed,” he added.