'Extremely Condemnable': Shah Hits Back At Congress For Distorting His Comments On Ambedkar
Amit Shah lashed out at the Congress for 'distorting' facts as he addressed a press conference at BJP headquarters in New Delhi on Wednesday amid the row over his remarks on BR Ambedkar.
Amid the ongoing row over his remarks on BR Ambedkar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday addressed a press conference at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi where he hit back at the Congress for presenting the facts in a "distorted way", calling it "extremely condemnable". He called the Congress "anti-BR Ambedkar" and "anti-Constitution".
"Since yesterday, Congress has been presenting the facts in a distorted way and I condemn it... Congress is anti-BR Ambedkar, it is against reservation and the Constitution. Congress also insulted Veer Savarkar. By imposing Emergency, they violated all Constitutional values..."
#WATCH | Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "......Since yesterday, Congress has been presenting the facts in a distorted way and I condemn it... Congress is anti-BR Ambedkar, it is against reservation and the Constitution. Congress also insulted Veer Savarkar. By… pic.twitter.com/V2QYjPz11V
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2024
"I would have been happy if they had challenged the facts presented in my speech. Every word of my speech is factual and taken from history. That is why they are making such efforts by editing my speech and giving it a wrong meaning," he added.
#WATCH | Delhi: On opposition's protest against him, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "...I would have been happy if they had challenged the facts presented in my speech. Every word of my speech is factual and taken from history. That is why they are making such efforts by… pic.twitter.com/86iQttJb8U
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2024
The Home Minister also targeted the Congress over the Emergency and said stated that the discussion in Parliament on 150 years of the Constitution "proved how the Congress opposed Baba Saheb Ambedkar" and "made fun" of him after he passed away.
"When the discussion was going on in the Parliament, it was proved how the Congress opposed Baba Saheb Ambedkar. How the Congress tried to make fun of Baba Saheb even after his death... As far as giving Bharat Ratna is concerned, Congress leaders have given Bharat Ratna to themselves many times. Nehru gave Bharat Ratna to himself in 1955, Indira gave Bharat Ratna to herself in 1971 and Baba Saheb got Bharat Ratna in 1990, when the Congress party was not in power and there was a government supported by Bharatiya Janata Party... Nehru's hatred towards Ambedkar is well known," he said.
On Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge demanding his resignation over the Ambedkar row, Shah said: "Kharge ji is asking for my resignation. If it would have made him happy, I would have resigned, but it will not end his problems because he will have to sit in the same place (in the opposition) for the next 15 years."
#WATCH | Delhi: On Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "Kharge ji is asking for my resignation. If it would have made him happy, I would have resigned, but it will not end his problems because he will have to sit in the same place (in the… pic.twitter.com/cv18UncVQX
— ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2024
The press conference came after the leaders of the Opposition parties targeted Shah over his remarks on BR Ambedkar while replying to a debate on the 75 years of the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien had submitted a privilege notice against Shah over his remarks on Ambedkar under Rule 187 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of the Upper House.
Shah was critising the Congress for repeatedly taking Ambedkar's name saying that if the pary leaders had taken God's name so many times, it could have earned them a place in heaven.
"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.
These remarks triggered a massive row with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessing protests from the Congress and other opposition parties that accused Shah of "insulting" Ambedkar with his "derogatory" remarks.
Shah had also pointed out that Ambedkar had to resign from the Cabinet after his disagreement with the then Congress-led government's policies including Article 370. He also highlighted that the memorials of Ambedkar were mostly built when BJP came to power.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also slammed Shah for his remarks saying they "displayed BJP's casteist and anti-Dalit mindset" and that the statement was an insult to the millions of people who looked up to the Dalit icon.
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