NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dismissed as “theatrics” Congress’s demand for Amit Shah’s resignation over his comments on B R Ambedkar and asserted that Congress and its “rotten ecosystem” are spreading falsehoods because the home minister exposed its misdeeds towards the Dalit icon, including Jawaharlal Nehru’s personal role in getting him defeated twice in elections.
Speaking after Congress, based on an edited clip of Shah’s Tuesday speech in Rajya Sabha, asked him to get the home minister to quit, the PM said, “Amit Shah ji exposed Congress’s history of insulting Ambedkar and ignoring SC/ST communities. 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.”
With Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha proceedings washed out on Wednesday due to disruptions, Modi took to X to hit back at Congress. “The list of Congress’s sins towards Ambedkar includes: Getting him defeated in elections not once but twice, Pandit Nehru campaigning against him and making his loss a personal issue, denying him Bharat Ratna , and denying his portrait a place of pride in Parliament’s Central Hall,” he said.
“If Congress and its rotten ecosystem think their malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken. The people of India have seen time and again how one party, party led by one dynasty has indulged in every possible trick to obliterate the legacy of Ambedkar and humiliate SC/ST communities,” the PM said, signalling his readiness to duel Congress over Ambedkar.
Soon, defence minister Rajnath Singh and other members of the Cabinet, including I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju, joined in the attack on Congress, accusing it of engaging in cheap politics to cover up their “past insults” to Ambedkar.
Modi also positioned his govt as the real legatee of Ambedkar, saying it is because of the lead framer of the Constitution that “we are what we are”, and listed the measures taken by his govt to fulfil Ambedkar’s vision over the last decade.
“Take any sector – be it removing 25 crore people from poverty, strengthening the SC/ST Act, our govt’s flagship programmes like Swachh Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Ujjwala Yojana and more, each of them has touched the lives of the poor and marginalised. Our govt has worked to develop ‘panchteerth’, the five iconic places associated with Ambedkar,” the PM said. For decades, Modi said, there was a pending issue involving land for “Chaitya Bhoomi”, where Ambedkar was cremated. “Not only did our govt resolve the issue, I have gone to pray there as well,” he added.
“We have also developed 26, Alipur Road in Delhi, where Ambedkar spent his last years. The house where he lived in London has also been acquired by the govt. When it comes to Ambedkar, our respect and reverence is absolute,” he said.
