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BSP stages protests across U.P. against remarks on Ambedkar
BSP leaders protested in UP against Amit Shah's comments on Dr. Ambedkar, demanding his resignation and highlighting the need for respect and constitutional values.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders and workers on Tuesday organised statewide demonstrations in Uttar Pradesh in protest against Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar.
They raised slogan against the BJP and demanded that Shah withdraw his ‘anti-Babasaheb remarks’ made in the Parliament recently. The BSP leaders handed over memorandum to the district administrative officers.
Lauding the party workers for organising demonstrations in a series of posts on X, Mayawati said, “I express deep gratitude and thanks to all office bearers, workers of BSP and all the followers of the most revered Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar who organised successful peaceful sit-in protests at all the district headquarters against the disrespect shown to Babasaheb.”
“The demonstrations are not a permanent solution to the problem. Rather, for this, the Bahujans will have to acquire the master key of power and become the ruling class and become capable of saving themselves, only then freedom and respect is possible,” she said.
“Today’s successful protests prove that whether it is BJP or Congress or any other party, India will not tolerate the insult to Babasaheb. In fact, it is necessary to implement Babasaheb’s Constitution with full devotion and honesty to bring ‘achche din’ to the people, i.e. to build a country with public interest and welfare,” Mayawati said.
“Also, the destruction of Babasaheb’s statue in Ahmedabad and lynching of a Dalit in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, is extremely sad and shameful. If that poor man is accused of stealing rice, is he not one of the millions of people suffering from poverty and hunger? The government must support such people,” she said.
Thousands of BSP workers assembled at the district headquarters in Agra on Tuesday to state a demonstration. After the protest, the protestors handed over a memorandum addressed to the President of India to the administrative official present at the Collectorate.
Senior BSP leader and division head Gore Lal said, “It is not only our party but the entire Dalit community worldwide holds Babasaheb in high regard, and such comments from the Union home minister have hurt the very sentiments of the community.” District BSP chief Vimal Kumar Verma led the protest.
Thousands of BSP workers staged demonstrations, while Congress leaders organised Dr Ambedkar Samman Yatra across various districts, supported by Dalit organisations.
In Gorakhpur, hundreds of BSP workers, led by former MLC Vijay Kumar, marched from Ambedkar Crossing to the district magistrate’s office. The march culminated into a dharna where a memorandum demanding Shah’s resignation was submitted to district authorities.
Congress leaders also organised Samman Yatras in Gorakhpur, Deoria, and Kushinagar districts. Senior Congress leader Touqeer Alam Khan, along with district Congress president Nirmala Paswan, demanded Shah’s dismissal from office. Similar protests were witnessed in Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar districts.
Alleging that Shah insulted Dr Ambedkar, national president Scheduled Caste cell of the Congress Rajesh Lilothia demanded that Shah must resign.
While addressing a press conference in presence of UPCC president Ajay Rai, Lilothia said, “Congress is firm on its demand for Amit Shah’s resignation for insulting Dr Ambedkar and our protest will continue from the road to the Parliament.”
Lilothia said that the Constitution of India is the biggest watchdog of the identity and unity and integrity of this great country. The Indian Constitution gave shape to the feelings and hopes of crores of people of India by giving them protection, he added.
“It is our Constitution that gave women, poor, farmers, laborers, oppressed, Dalits, backward and minorities the opportunity to move forward with pride, to realise their dreams, to become socially, politically and economically empowered. The great people of India have always shown their faith in the Constitution of India with full determination and commitment,” Lilothia said.
He alleged that the BJP never misses any opportunity to show disdain for democracy and Constitutional values. “The advice to follow Dr. Ambedkar’s ideals of equality, parity and justice did not go down well with the BJP,” he alleged.
“It constantly tried to stop the opposition parties from speaking on the Constitution. Not only this, Shah exposed the Manuwadi mentality of the Sangh and the BJP by insulting Dr Ambedkar,” alleged Lilothia.
