The BJP on Saturday hit out at Indian Overseas Congress chairman Sam Pitroda for a post on social media that he later deleted. It was a link to an article written by Sudheendra Kulkarni which said Nehru contributed more to the Constitution and its preamble, not Ambedkar. Like Sam Pitroda, political activist Sudheendra Kulkarni too came under fire for his opinion but he refused to apologise.
"I have great respect for Dr Ambedkar because he fought for justice and equality in Hindu society. He pioneered many social reforms. Based on facts, I wrote an article that Nehru's contribution was more than Ambedkar's. Anyone who has read history will accept this because Congress started the process of writing the Constitution. In 1930, on January 26, the Congress passed the resolution of 'purna swaraj'. Since then, Nehru ji worked towards the Constitution," Kulkarni said. "I am not in any political party now. I was with the BJP once. My words should not be used or misused politically," he said adding that Ambedkar himself said that it was not his Constitution.
Slamming Sam Pitroda for endorsing Kulkarni's opinion, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said Congress has an Ambedkar-virodhi, anti-Dalit DNA. "Rahul Gandhi's uncle Sam (Sam Pitroda) tweeted questioning Ambedkar's contribution to the Constitution. These words may be of Sam Pitroda, but the emotion behind it is given by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Congress is anti-Ambedkar and anti-SC, and it is being proven time and again. This is the same Congress that, during Nehru's reign, made Ambedkar lose elections twice. This is the same Congress that delayed Ambedkar's Bharat Ratna," Poonawala said.
{{/usCountry}}Slamming Sam Pitroda for endorsing Kulkarni's opinion, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said Congress has an Ambedkar-virodhi, anti-Dalit DNA. "Rahul Gandhi's uncle Sam (Sam Pitroda) tweeted questioning Ambedkar's contribution to the Constitution. These words may be of Sam Pitroda, but the emotion behind it is given by Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. Congress is anti-Ambedkar and anti-SC, and it is being proven time and again. This is the same Congress that, during Nehru's reign, made Ambedkar lose elections twice. This is the same Congress that delayed Ambedkar's Bharat Ratna," Poonawala said.
{{/usCountry}}Sam Pitroda, meanwhile, deleted his post.
"How can one be spared if he targets Babasaheb Ambedkar, an ideal for the marginalised communities of India? I cannot understand what has happened to Congress. On one hand, they became Hindus when it came to elections, while on the other, they refused to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Congress leadership should apologise to the nation and clarify whether Sam Pitroda's stand is personal or on behalf of the Congress," BSP MP Malook Nagar told ANI.