NEW DELHI: The opposition and ruling blocs were ranged against each other today over Home Minister Amit Shah’s Tuesday remarks about Dr BR Ambedkar, with the Congress demanding his ouster from the Cabinet and Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly backing him.
Hours after the Congress-led INDIA bloc leaders disrupted the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha demanding Shah’s apology or resignation, the Prime Minister hit out at the Congress, saying its “rotten ecosystem” and “malicious lies” couldn’t hide its misdeeds. “In Parliament, Amit Shah had exposed the Congress’ dark history of insulting Dr Ambedkar and ignoring the SC/ST communities. They (Congress-led Opposition) are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented, which is why they are now indulging in theatrics,” the PM said in one of his six tweets on the issue.
Parties like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, AAP, RJD, SP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Left protested against Shah inside Parliament and outside. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien submitted a notice to move a privilege motion against Shah in the Rajya Sabha, where the Home Minister made the remarks.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge also warned that there would be a countrywide agitation if Shah did not resign. After Modi waded into the issue, Kharge and Shah held back-to-back press conferences to stress their points. Kharge warned of street protests should Shah not resign before midnight and Shah hit back, threatening legal action and saying that the Congress selectively edited his remarks with a malicious intent to spread lies.
Kharge urged the PM to sack his Cabinet colleague instead of backing him. “We want Amit Shah to quit, I want to tell the Prime Minister he should dismiss Shah before midnight if he has respect for Babasaheb. If there is no resignation, there will be protests all over the country….”
The BJP, Shah said, would consider all legal options inside and outside Parliament and take appropriate action in the matter. Accusing the Congress of returning to its “old familiar habit of distorting statements of senior leaders to spawn confusion”, Shah said statements of the PM had been twisted in the past and his own remarks altered using the AI.
“It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar… Had they (Oppn) taken God’s name so many times, they would have been assured of a place in heaven. We are happy the Congress is taking Ambedkar’s name, but the party should also speak about how it treated him.”