Rahul Gandhi Accuses BJP of Threatening Ambedkar's Legacy; Modi Defends Shah's Controversial Remarks

Rahul Gandhi criticizes BJP over Amit Shah's comments on Ambedkar, accusing them of undermining the Constitution. Uddhav Thackeray joins the condemnation. PM Modi defends Shah, alleging Congress's historical neglect of SC/ST empowerment and mistreatment of Ambedkar. This political exchange underscores ongoing debates around India's constitutional framers.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following Union Home Minister Amit Shah's controversial remarks concerning Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Gandhi accused the BJP of opposing Ambedkar's ideology and aiming to dismantle the efforts poured into the Constitution by him.

Rahul Gandhi argued, "This is against the Constitution. They have expressed intentions to alter it since the beginning. Their sole agenda is to erase the contributions of Ambedkar ji. It's a fact known widely across the nation." Additionally, Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, added to the criticism, highlighting the perceived disrespect towards Ambedkar by the BJP and Shah's statements.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi leapt to Amit Shah's defense, suggesting that his remarks were not a cultural affront but an exposé of Congress's historical inadequacies in respecting Ambedkar and empowering the SC/ST communities. He described Congress's reaction as theatrical and underlined the accusation that significant instances of SC/ST community atrocities occurred under Congress's governance.

(With inputs from agencies.)