Amid the ongoing row over Amit Shah's remarks on BR Ambedkar, the Trinamool Congress has moved a privilege notice against the Union Home Minister, saying that he undermined the legacy of the Constitution's architect and the dignity of the Parliament. The privilege notice was moved by TMC's Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien under Rule 187.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also lashed out at Shah, accusing him of making derogatory remarks against Ambedkar and insulting those who look up to the Dalit icon. In a post on X, Banerjee stated that the remarks made by the BJP leader displays the party's "anti-Dalit and casteist mindset".
Amit Shah, in a speech in the Upper House during the debate marking 75 years of the Constitution on Tuesday, stated that it has become a "fashion" for the Opposition leaders now to take BR Ambedkar's name. "It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they took God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven," he had said.
This remark sparked a massive political row, with leaders of the Opposition parties slamming Shah for insulting Ambedkar. During the Parliament session on Wednesday, the MPs from the Opposition staged a protest holding photos of Ambedkar in their hands and raising slogans condemning the remarks made by Shah.
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Meanwhile, Bengal CM took to X, hitting out at the Home Minister, saying, "The mask has fallen! As Parliament reflects on 75 glorious years of the Constitution, HM @AmitShah chose to TARNISH this occasion with DEROGATORY remarks against Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, that too in the temple of Democracy."
"This is a display of BJP’s CASTEIST and ANTI-DALIT mindset. If this is how they behave after being reduced to 240 seats, imagine the damage they would’ve inflicted if their dream of 400 seats had been realised. They’d have rewritten history to entirely erase Dr. Ambedkar’s contributions," she added.
The TMC chief also stated that the remarks by Shah were an insult to the millions of people who look up to Ambedkar. She stated that the "outrageous" remark was an outright attack on not just Ambedkar but all the members of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.
"HM Amit Shah’s remarks are an insult to the millions who look up to Babasaheb for guidance and inspiration. But what else can you expect from a party that has internalised HATE and BIGOTRY?" the Bengal CM said.
"Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is the Father of the Constitution, this outrageous remark is not only an outright attack on him but all members of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, which symbolised India’s unity in diversity with members from all castes, creeds, ethnicities, and religions," Banerjee added.
The Congress-led Opposition has cornered Shah over the remarks and have even demanded his resignation for "insulting" Ambedkar.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the Congress for cornering Shah and stated that the party and its "rotten ecosystem" were "gravely mistaken" for thinking their "malicious lies" could hide the insults made by them towards Ambedkar.