Political fight over honor of Babasaheb Ambedkar: Amit Shah’s statement creates uproar

For the last few days, political heat has been at its peak regarding the honor of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.

• Several opposition parties, including Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BSP, and SP, have attacked the BJP over a portion of a speech given by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament.
• Opposition parties say that Amit Shah has insulted Ambedkar and he should apologize.

AAP made issue in Delhi elections

AAP has made it the main issue of Delhi elections.

• Campaigning in Dalit settlements:
  • Party leaders and workers are campaigning against BJP.
  • Accusing BJP of insulting Ambedkar, he is appealing to voters to make it an election issue.
• Congress’s announcement:
  • Congress has announced to organize programs related to Ambedkar across the country.

BJP’s counterattack: Big allegation on Congress

BJP has launched a scathing attack on Congress while denying the allegations of opposition parties.

• Ravi Shankar Prasad’s statement:
  • BJP leader said that
    

    “The biggest insult to Ambedkar has been done by Congress. Nehru tried to defeat him in the elections and campaigned against him.”

  • He alleged that Congress deliberately defeated Ambedkar in the Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha elections of 1952.
• Support to Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar:
  • In this election, Jawaharlal Nehru campaigned for Congress candidate Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar.
  • Kajrolkar defeated Ambedkar and was later awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1970.
  • Prasad called this the biggest insult to Ambedkar.

Accusation of not giving respect to Ambedkar

Ravi Shankar Prasad made more serious allegations against Congress:

• Target on Nehru-Gandhi family:
  • They said that
    

    “The Nehru-Gandhi family left no stone unturned to get themselves the Bharat Ratna. But Ambedkar was not given due respect during his lifetime.”

• Election defeat:
  • Ambedkar’s election defeat and the campaign against him were described as proof of Congress’s anti-Dalit thinking.

BJP’s nationwide campaign

BJP has announced to launch a nationwide campaign to counter the opposition’s allegations.

• Black letter of Congress:
  • BJP claimed that they had documents which would prove that Congress had repeatedly insulted Ambedkar.
• Amit Shah’s defence:
  • Prasad said that Amit Shah’s statement has been misrepresented.
  • An atmosphere is being created against BJP by distorting the facts.