Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday claimed Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar show BJP’s “arrogance” and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take action against him.
Thackeray accused the BJP of insulting Maharashtra’s icons, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. Ambedkar. He claimed Amit Shah wouldn’t have criticized Dr. Ambedkar without BJP and RSS support.
The Sena (UBT) leader asked whether the BJP’s allies — Telugu Desam Party, JD(U), Ramdas Athawale’s RPI and Shiv Sena, — agree with Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar.
Here are the 10 things that Thackeray said:
- The manner in which Amit Shah spoke in the Parliament yesterday, he displayed insolence.
- He said that taking Ambedkar’s name has become fashion and that had they taken God’s name as much they would have been in heaven.
- Who are you? Ambedkar ji is a personality not bound by any side…
- The manner in which BJP is insulting someone who gave us the Constitution is not acceptable to us.
- Will BJP and RSS take action against Amit Shah? Or did they tell Amit to say this?
- …Is this acceptable to other parties that have extended support to Amit Shah, be it Chandrababu Naidu or Nitish Kumar or Ajit Pawar? Will Ramdas Athawale continue to be in their cabinet even after this?
- …Will PM take action against him or did the PM tell him to say that?
- RSS should make it clear if this was Amit Shah’s personal view or they told him to say that…
The opposition Congress on Tuesday alleged that Shah’s remarks in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Constitution show the BJP and the RSS leaders have a “lot of hatred” for Ambedkar and demanded an apology from him. Congress general secretary-in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh had shared a video snippet on X from Shah’s speech in the Upper House.