PM Modi accuses Cong of erasing Ambedkar’s legacy amid Opposition’s demand for Amit Shah’s apology
Uproar began when Amit Shah criticised Congress for allegedly exploiting Ambedkar’s name for political gain
PTC Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly countered the opposition’s protests in the Rajya Sabha regarding Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar. PM Modi accused the Congress of systematically erasing the Dalit icon's legacy while asserting that the party’s actions had continuously undermined the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) communities.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi lambasted the Congress for what he called their “malicious lies” and “dirty tricks” to tarnish Ambedkar’s contributions and diminish his standing.
“If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think their malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!” Modi wrote.
Highlighting a list of historical grievances, PM Modi accused the Congress of deliberate neglect toward Dr BR Ambedkar’s achievements. He pointed out that the party had denied Ambedkar a Bharat Ratna and failed to provide a space for his portrait in Parliament’s Central Hall for years.
“The list of the Congress’ sins towards Dr Ambedkar includes: Getting him defeated in elections not once but twice, Pandit Nehru campaigning against him and making his loss a prestige issue, denying him a Bharat Ratna, and denying his portrait a place of pride in Parliament’s Central Hall,” PM Modi asserted.
The Prime Minister further accused Congress regimes of overseeing the worst atrocities against SC/ST communities. “For years, they sat in power but did nothing substantive to empower the SC and ST communities,” he added.
Opposition demands apology from Amit Shah
The uproar began on Tuesday during a two-day discussion in the Rajya Sabha commemorating 75 years of the Indian Constitution. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing the session, criticised the Congress for allegedly exploiting Ambedkar’s name for political gain.
"It has become a fashion now—Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God’s name so many times, they would have attained salvation over seven lifetimes," Amit Shah remarked sarcastically.
His statement triggered sharp criticism from the Congress, with party leaders terming it as disrespectful toward Dr BR Ambedkar and the values enshrined in the Constitution.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge called Amit Shah’s remarks an “insult” to Dr Ambedkar and accused the BJP-RSS of promoting Manusmriti ideologies instead of respecting the Indian Constitution.
“This insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar by the Home Minister has once again proven that the BJP-RSS were against the tricolour, their forefathers opposed the Ashok Chakra, and that the people of the Sangh Parivar wanted to implement Manusmriti instead of the Constitution of India from the very first day,” Kharge said.
Kharge also demanded Amit Shah’s resignation, stating that his comments were unbecoming of a Home Minister. “We demand an apology from him to the people of India. Amit Shah should resign from his position,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi joins the criticism
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also took to X to criticise Amit Shah’s remarks, calling them reflective of the BJP’s ideology. “Those who believe in Manusmriti will definitely be at odds with Ambedkar,” Rahul Gandhi wrote.
Several other Congress leaders echoed similar sentiments, accusing the BJP of exploiting Ambedkar’s name for political mileage while failing to uphold the constitutional values he championed.
BJP defends Shah
The BJP, however, defended Shah’s comments, accusing the Congress of hypocrisy and political opportunism. Senior BJP leaders argued that the Congress’ track record demonstrated consistent neglect of Ambedkar’s contributions and SC/ST welfare.
Union ministers and party spokespersons highlighted the BJP’s initiatives for Dalit empowerment, including the commemoration of Ambedkar’s legacy through national events, scholarships, and schemes aimed at uplifting marginalised communities.
Notably, PM Modi has frequently invoked Ambedkar in his speeches, positioning the BJP as a party committed to empowering the Dalit community. On the other hand, the Congress has accused the BJP of using Ambedkar’s name while allegedly adhering to ideologies that contradict his principles.