Tamil actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) President, Vijay, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah after his remarks on BR Ambedkar in Parliament. In a tweet on social media X, actor Vijay expressed his outrage, saying that some people may be “allergic” to Ambedkar’s name.
“Some people may be allergic to the name Ambedkar. He was an incomparable political and intellectual figure who was held in high esteem by all the people of India who breathed the air of freedom,” Vijay said.
The actor further said, “Ambedkar…Ambedkar… Ambedkar…His name. Let us keep chanting his name with joy in our hearts and on our lips.”
A massive political row erupted with the protests even spilling onto the streets as the Congress and other Opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Amit Shah for his remarks on BR Ambedkar and demanded his sacking. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders have rallied to his defence and said he has exposed Congress’ “anti-Ambedkar” stand.
In his speech in Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Constitution, Amit Shah said, “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].”
As protests erupted uniting the Opposition against demanding Amit Shah’s sacking as the home minister and stalling the proceedings of both Houses, Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended Amit Shah while criticising the Congress.
In a series of tweets, PM Modi said the Congress’ “rotten ecosystem” and “malicious lies” cannot hide its misdeeds and said the home minister had exposed the opposition party’s “dark history of insulting” Ambedkar.
“They are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented, which is why they are now indulging in theatrics. Sadly, for them, people know the truth,” PM Modi said in a series of posts on X.
Reacting to the resignation demands, Amit Shah said he can quit if this would make the Congress happy but it would never solve the problems. In a reference to Congress being in Opposition for over a decade, Amit Shah said Mallikarjun Kharge has to remain in his chair.
Meanwhile, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President and BR Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar criticised Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on the architect of Indian Constitution, demanding that the BJP release the full tape of Shah’s comments, alleging that the publicly available portion reveals a “haunting voice” of hatred towards him.
“If Amit Shah has praised Babasaheb, then the BJP should release the whole tape… In what has come into the public domain, his voice is a haunting voice. The hatred (towards Ambedkar) is exhibited…,” he told reporters over the remarks of the Amit Shah on Ambedkar.