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Modi accuses Congress of insulting Ambedkar, ignoring Dalits
Earlier on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi shared a video on Twitter and said that the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS wanted Dalits and Adivasis to exist at the bottom rung of society.
The Congress insulted Dalit icon BR Ambedkar and does not care for the community, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, responding after the opposition party’s president Rahul Gandhi tweeted a video.
Addressing an election rally at Chitradurga in Karnataka, Modi said, “The Congress never accepted Ambedkar.”
Earlier on Sunday, Gandhi shared a video on Twitter and said that the BJP and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) wanted Dalits and Adivasis to exist at the bottom rung of society.
The more than two-minute clip cites examples of alleged atrocities, including the flogging of Dalit men in Gujarat’s Una in 2016 and the recent SC/ST markings on the chests of Madhya Pradesh constables during a recruitment exam. Gandhi urged the PM to “speak up” on the atrocities.
At the Chitradurga rally, Modi retorted back saying the Congress had “no time” for Ambedkar. “Go to any part of India, things are named after one family. What did this one family do for Dr Ambedkar? They have no time for him,” he said.
He further said that with Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit, being appointed the country’s President, the Congress has become “uncomfortable”.
“With the highest offices of the country being occupied by people from poor and humble backgrounds, the Congress is uncomfortable. This is why, it is now misleading people in the name of Dalits. The Congress doesn’t care about Dalits, it only cares about deals,” Modi said, accusing the party of being corrupt.
The PM said his party always cared for the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
Karnataka goes to polls on May 12 and the results will be declared on May 15.
