NEW DELHI, (IANS): Setting the records straight over the raging controversy regarding
his statement on Babasaheb Ambedkar, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday held
the Congress responsible for ‘distorting and twisting’ his Rajya Sabha speech
for gaining political mileage.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP HQ, Amit Shah
said that Congress is anti-Ambedkar, anti-reservation and anti-Constitution
party and accused it of resorting to its old dirty ways of spreading false
narratives over the Ambedkar controversy.
The Home Minister stated that his comments on B.R.
Ambedkar, during the Constitution debate in Rajya Sabha, were deliberately
distorted and twisted by the Congress party and also quoted past similar
instances of ‘fake news’ during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Drawing a distinction in the way that BJP and Congress
treat its national icons and heroes, HM Shah said that never in his dreams, he
would disrespect the architect of the Constitution.
“I came from a party with such values that I will never
insult or speak ill of Babasaheb, even in my dreams,” he said.
Launching a fierce counter to Congress’ charges, the Home
Minister dug out the ‘past misdeeds and disrespectful conduct’ of the grand old
party and said that it is the same party which bulldozed the Constitution by
imposing Emergency, it is the same party which insulted brave jawans,
questioned their valour.
Levelling a direct charge at the Congress, he said that
it has a habit of resorting to its old dirty ways of indulging in spreading
false narratives and smear campaigns and twisting the facts for its advantage.
“In early 1950s, the Congress leaders started a campaign
against BR Ambedkar to defeat him in elections,” Amit Shah said while adding
that Jawaharlal Nehru’s hatred for Ambedkar was well-known, as his own books
have documented evidence of dislike and aversion for the Dalit icon.
He said that Ambedkar was denied Bharat Ratna for several
decades after Independence.
“Congress PMs including Nehru and Indira Gandhi gave
themselves the Bharat Ratna award. It was only when Congress was not in power
that Babasaheb was honoured with the country’s highest civilian award,” he
pointed out.
He also called out 'ignorance and step-motherly
treatment' of Dalits during seven decades of Congress rule and asked why the
then governments thwarted moves to bring quota for poor and unprivileged.
“Those who always made mockery of the democracy are
spreading lies and canards on the Constitution,” he said.
“Mallikarjun Kharge should refrain from party’s blatant
attempts to spread false and fake narrative over the Dalit icon,” HM Shah said,
dishing out a piece of advice to the Congress chief, over his demands for Home
Minister's resignation.
At last, the Home Minister also urged mediapersons to
present the true picture before the public and also educate the latter about
‘evil’ attempts to defame him.
