Residence Minister Amit Shah – on the centre of a ferocious Congress-led maelstrom following his “Ambedkar is the fashion” quip in Parliament final evening – counterattacked Wednesday night by accusing his rivals of being “anti-Ambedkar” and “anti-Structure”, and “spreading lies”.
A combative Amit Shah – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s No 2 and probably the most highly effective figures within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Social gathering – declared his rivals had “distorted information” after being stung by “examples of how the Structure was attacked and wounded by the Congress (when it was in energy)”.
“They (the Congress) have distorted the remark I made within the Rajya Sabha. They made edited variations of Modiji‘s speeches. I request the media to place my full assertion in entrance of the folks… I come from a celebration which follows the beliefs of Ambedkar,” Mr Shah informed reporters.
“The Congress disrespected the Military and girls, and even broke up the nation and gave it to international powers. When this reality was uncovered… they distorted information and misled folks yesterday.”
“In the course of the dialogue (a two-day debate on the seventy fifth anniversary of the Structure), it was confirmed it’s the Congress that has disrespected Ambedkar…” Mr Shah, battling calls to resign, declared.
“Will not Resign”, Counter To M Kharge
He additionally singled out Congress boss Mallikarjun Kharge, who has led the refrain of important voices, and stated he had no intention of quitting. “Kharge is asking for my resignation. If it can make him blissful, I’ll.. nevertheless it will not finish his issues. He must sit in the identical place (within the opposition) for 15 years…”
#WATCH | Delhi: On Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Residence Minister Amit Shah says, “Kharge ji is asking for my resignation. If it could have made him blissful, I might have resigned, nevertheless it won’t finish his issues as a result of he must sit in the identical place (within the… pic.twitter.com/cv18UncVQX
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2024
“My resignation will not change that,” Mr Shah stated, additionally saying the BJP will look at all authorized choices, “inside and out of doors the Parliament” in opposition to the Congress, for allegedly modifying variations of his speech.
PM’s Defence
In an uncommon transfer – maybe underlining the affect of the opposition’s assault on this subject – the Prime Minister and members of his cupboard have come out in defence of Mr Shah.
“If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem assume malicious lies can cover their misdeeds of a number of years, particularly their insult in direction of Dr Ambedkar, they’re gravely mistaken!” the PM stated.
READ | PM Leads BJP Fightback As Opposition Ups Ante In Ambedkar Row
“Individuals of India have seen, again and again, how one get together, led by one dynasty, has indulged in each potential soiled trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr Ambedkar…” he stated on X.
Kharge’s Jabs At Amit Shah
Just a few hours earlier Mr Kharge held a press convention of his personal, by which he ripped into Amit Shah and the Prime Minister. “If the PM has any respect for Babasaheb Ambedkar, he ought to drop Shah from the Cupboard. (However)… as a substitute of telling Amit Shah (he) is fallacious, PM is defending him…”
READ | “If PM Respects Ambedkar…”: Congress’ Kharge Targets Amit Shah
The “Ambedkar is trend…” assertion got here in Mr Shah’s concluding remarks within the Rajya Sabha debate; the Residence Minister stated sarcastically, “It has grow to be the style to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar…’ In the event that they (the opposition) took God’s title so many occasions, they’ll get a spot in heaven.”
READ | “No Less Than God”: Opposition Slams Shah’s Ambedkar Remark
The quip provoked livid protests from the Congress and different opposition events, with Mr Kharge saying the “insult” had once more confirmed that the BJP and its ideological mum or dad – the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – have been in opposition to the nation’s greatest pursuits. Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi additionally issued scathing counterattacks, and demanded Mr Shah apologise.
Sharing photos from a protest exterior Parliament – by which the opposition was united, regardless of current variations over technique and questions over the Congress’ management of the INDIA bloc – Mr Gandhi stated, “Babasaheb is the Structure’s architect… an important man who gave course to the nation.”
READ | “Country Will Not Tolerate Insult Of Dr Ambedkar”: Rahul Gandhi
“The nation won’t tolerate his insult… the Residence Minister ought to apologise!”
It is not simply the Congress that’s up in arms. The Samajwadi Social gathering – which contests elections on its ‘PDA’ technique, by which the ‘D’ stands for Dalits – stated it confirmed “the BJP is nervous concerning the battle…”
“Babasaheb Ambedkar is God to loads of disadvantaged sections of the society. He’s worshipped in every home and village. The BJP is nervous concerning the battle of the PDA and that’s such statements come from them every so often…” Akhilesh Yadav stated.
#WATCH | Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh: On Union Residence Minister Amit Shah’s speech in Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Social gathering President and MP Akhilesh Yadav says, “Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar is God to loads of disadvantaged sections of the society. He’s worshipped in every home and village… The… pic.twitter.com/p6lPQRU767
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2024
Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool has additionally rallied in opposition to Amit Shah and the BJP; hours earlier the get together filed a privilege discover in opposition to the Residence Minister; Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien, who moved the discover, accused Mr Shah of insulting the Dalit chief.
READ | “Mask Falls”: Trinamool Moves Against Shah In Ambedkar Row
Ms Banerjee posted a separate submit by which she referred to as the remarks “a show of BJP’s casteist and anti-Dalit mindset” and “an insult to hundreds of thousands who look as much as Ambedkar”.
Amidst all this, Mr Modi and Mr Shah met Mr Gandhi and Mr Kharge this afternoon. Sources stated the assembly had no connection to the “Ambedkar is trend” row, stating the 4 senior-most political leaders within the nation have been meeting to appoint the next National Human Rights Commission chief.
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