A massive political row erupted on Wednesday as the Congress and other opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on B R Ambedkar and demanded his sacking.
As opposition parties unitedly protested against Shah and stalled both houses of Parliament, alleging that his remarks had insulted Ambedkar and demanding his apology, Shah said that the Congress had distorted his comments under a malicious campaign after the discussion on the Constitution “established” that the opposition party was against Ambedkar and reservation.
Parties like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, AAP, RJD, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Left protested against Shah inside Parliament and outside.
Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Shah in the Rajya Sabha, where the Home Minister made the remarks.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge warned that there will be a countrywide agitation if Shah does not resign.
Congress president Kharge too addressed a press conference and demanded that Shah resign or else PM Modi should sack him.
Kharge said a person becomes a minister by taking oath of the Constitution and if he insults it, he has no right to remain in the Cabinet.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said, “Baba Saheb is the architect of the Constitution, a great man who gave direction to the country. The country will not tolerate his insult or the insult to the Constitution framed by him. Home Minister should apologize!”
Several MPs of the INDIA bloc also held a protest in Parliament premises demanding Shah’s apology for his remarks on Ambedkar.
The uproar in Parliament also spilt onto the streets of the national capital and other states like Maharashtra, Bihar and Tamil Nadu where various parties held protests.
In Delhi, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal led a protest with hundreds of supporters outside the BJP chanting slogans of “Amit Shah maafi maango, Amit Shah sharm karo”.
“Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai – Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar’. If they had taken God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven),” Shah had said in the Rajya Sabha during the debate on Constitution.
Shah had also said the BJP is happy that the Congress is taking Ambedkar’s name but it should also speak about its real sentiments towards him, and went on to narrate incidents where the opposition party had denied the respect due to him.
“Prime Minister Modi should act against Amit Shah for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar and he should quit if he is not able to do so,” the former chief minister said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that Union Home Minister’s remarks about Ambedkar were a display of the BJP’s “casteist and anti-Dalit mindset”.
“BJP leaders should hear this loud and clear, Babasaheb Ambedkar is our fashion, passion, inspiration and motivation as well,” RJD leader and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav said.
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