Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Congress party of distorting his speech in Rajya Sabha regarding his remarks on BR Ambedkar. Shah took a swipe at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge asking him to stop demanding the Union Home Minister’s resignation.
Shah also said the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) might even consider taking legal action against Congress leaders on the issue.
“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,” said Shah in a press conference.
The Union Home Minister was accompanied by group of ministers in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. Those present included JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal, Ashwini Vaishnaw, among others.
“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,” Shah said.
“My remarks in Rajya Sabha have been distorted to mislead people. I come from a party which respected Baba Sahab Ambedkar. Congress is used to distorting our speeches. They even edited Modiji’s comments earlier,” Shah said.
“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,” Shah said.
Kharge asks Modi to sack Shah
Earlier, Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge doubled down on his party’s attacks on Amit Shah asking PM Modi to sack Shah. “If PM has any respect for Babasaheb Ambedkar, he should drop Shah from the Cabinet. (But)… instead of telling Amit Shah (he) is wrong, PM is defending him. He insulted a Dalit hero. They do not believe in the Constitution,” Kharge said.
Shah responded to Kharge by saying that his wish won’t be fulfilled.
“Khargeji you will stay at the same place for 15 years. Your wish of my resignation won’t come true,” Shah said challenging that Congress to circulate the complete video of his now controversial speech in Rajya Sabha.
“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,” Shah said.
What Amit Shah said?
The Congress party has alleged that Shah’s remarks in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday show that the saffron party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders have a “lot of hatred” for BR Ambedkar and demanded an apology from him.
Speaking during the debate onConstitution of Indiain the Upper House on Tuesday, Shah took a swipe at the opposition leaders for repeatedly using Ambedkar’s name.
Congress is anti-BR Ambedkar, it is against reservation and the Constitution.
“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 is heard saying in the video.
