During a speech in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of fostering animosity towards BR Ambedkar. His comments came shortly after Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleged that the BJP-RSS alliance was ‘assaulting’ the Constitution and attempting to ‘deceive the public with superficial reverence for Dalit icons’.
“There is ample evidence of the disdain and animosity Congress has harbored for Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar. They never viewed Baba Saheb as deserving of the Bharat Ratna award… continually tried to undermine his candidacy during two Lok Sabha elections. But now, due to political necessities, they have to chant the Jai Bheem slogans,” he remarked.
Modi further asserted that his administration is “fulfilling the aspirations of Babasaheb Ambedkar through the PM Mudra Scheme.”
In the meantime, a six-member committee presented its investigation report on Thursday regarding the defacement of an Ambedkar statue on Republic Day. A young man damaged the life-size statue in Amritsar by climbing on it and striking it with a hammer. A video of the incident went viral on social media, igniting a political dispute.
Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda had formed a committee to investigate the incident on January 31.
(With contributions from agencies)
