'Nehru's hatred for Ambedkar well known': Amit Shah claims Congress distorted remark

Amit Shah said the Congress is against Ambedkar and his ideals.

Updated on: Dec 18, 2024, 19:25:56 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Vaibhav Tiwari

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Reacting to the controversy triggered by his remark on BR Ambedkar, union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of distorting his statement in the parliament. Calling the Congress “anti-Ambedkar”, the BJP leader claimed that former PM Jawaharlal Nehru had hatred for the Dalit icon.

Amit Shah said Congress governments never built the Ambedkar memorial. (PTI file photo)

Amit Shah pointed out that the Congress refrained from conferring the Bharat Ratna on BR Ambedkar for several decades. He said the central government backed by the BJP finally gave the highest civilian award to the late legal luminary in 1990.

Shah claimed that the Congress was against Ambedkar and his ideals.

"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 the Emergency, they violated all Constitutional values," Shah said.

Also read: Ambedkar row: Mallikarjun Kharge takes ‘Manusmriti’ dig at Amit Shah, demands his resignation

The BJP leader said Congress governments never built a memorial for Ambedkar; whereas the BJP developed many sites dedicated to him.

"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 the Bharat Ratna to himself in 1955, and Indira Gandhi gave the Bharat Ratna to herself in 1971. Baba Saheb got the Bharat Ratna in 1990 when the Congress party was not in power and there was a government supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party… Nehru's hatred towards Ambedkar is well known," he added.

What did Amit Shah say?

During a debate in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Amit Shah said the Congress had made it a fashion to take Ambedkar's name repeatedly. "If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have got heaven for seven lives," he said, triggering a massive row.

Claiming that the remark is an insult to BR Ambedkar, the Congress-led opposition has demanded Amit Shah's resignation or removal.

The opposition staged a massive protest in the parliament over the controversy today.

PM Modi defends Amit Shah, attacks Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stoutly defended Shah, asserting that the Congress's "rotten ecosystem" and "malicious lies" cannot hide its "misdeeds".

"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," Modi said in a series of posts on X.

He said people of India have seen time and again how one party, led by one dynasty, indulged in "every possible dirty trick to obliterate Ambedkar's legacy".

With inputs from PTI, ANI

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HT News Desk
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