Asserting that the Bharatiya Janata Party has always tried to follow the principles of BR Ambedkar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday that he belongs to a party which can never insult the chief architect of the Constitution.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Amit Shah slammed Mallikarjun Kharge over remarks on his speech in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday and said the Congress chief should not have supported the “nefarious efforts” of his party.
Shah alleged that Kharge, who is from the Dalit community, had joined the effort under “pressure of Rahul Gandhi.”
The Union Minister alleged that the Congress is “anti-Ambedkar, anti-Constitution, anti-reservation” party.
“I want to tell Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge you come from that section of society for which Dr BR Ambedkar dedicated his entire life. Therefore, I also want to say this to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge that you should not have supported this nefarious effort. However, I am disappointed that you are participating in this because of pressure from Rahul Gandhi. I want to reiterate that Congress is anti-Ambedkar, anti-Constitution, anti-reservation, anti-Savarkar and anti-OBC, and they don’t have an answer for this,” Shah said.
“My statement was presented in a distorted manner. Earlier they made PM Narendra Modi’s edited statements public. When the elections were going on, my statement was edited using AI. And today they are presenting my statement in a distorted manner. I also want to request the media to put my full statement in front of the public. I belong to a party which can never insult Ambedkar ji even in a dream. First Jan Sangh and then Bharatiya Janata Party have always tried to follow the principles of Ambedkar ji. Whenever the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power, we have propagated the principles of Ambedkar ji. The Bharatiya Janata Party has worked to strengthen reservation. ” he added.
Asked if the BJP was contemplating legal action against opposition leaders over their remarks, the Union Home Minister said that the BJP will examine all legal options.
“Whatever legal action can be taken inside and outside Parliament, all possibilities will be considered,” he said.
A massive political row has erupted over Amit Shah’s remarks concerning BR Ambedkar as he targeted Congress in his speech in Rajya Sabha while concluding the two-day debate on 150 years of the Constitution. Congress has accused Shah of being anti-Ambedkar and has demanded his resignation.
Shah said he would have been happy if Congress leaders had challenged the facts presented in his 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 said.
“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,” he added.
Opposition members forced adjournments in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Wednesday protesting over Amit Shah’s remarks. (ANI)
