Amit Shah, apologise and resign: Rahul, Congress vow to fight for Ambedkar's respect

Making Union home minister Amit Shah's insulting remarks about Dr B.R. Ambedkar the focal point of their argument, and reiterating their demand for his resignation, the Congress on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the BJP and Shah.

Addressing a press conference with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused Shah of making offensive remarks about Ambedkar and orchestrating chaos in Parliament to deflect from the controversy.

Gandhi demanded Shah's resignation, calling his comments a reflection of the BJP’s "anti-constitutional and anti-Ambedkar ideology".

“The home minister has insulted Ambedkar ji with his remarks. The BJP’s ideology is fundamentally against the values of Ambedkar and the Constitution. The nation deserves an apology, and Amit Shah must resign,” Gandhi said.

Addressing the media, Kharge said: “The home minister should probe facts before making such statements. Instead, he insults Nehru ji and Ambedkar. What he said is all lies. If I had been allowed to speak in Parliament, I would have exposed him.”

Kharge further accused the BJP of resorting to diversions to avoid accountability.

The uproar stemmed from Shah’s comments in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, where he mocked the Congress for frequently invoking Dr. Ambedkar’s name.

As seen on TV, Shah had remarked, “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai — Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Agar itna naam Bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (it has become the fashion to repeatedly say Ambedkar’s name. Had they taken God’s name this many times, they would have earned a place in heaven).”

Congress leaders slammed these comments as disrespectful and indicative of the BJP’s disregard for Ambedkar’s legacy.

The controversy spilled onto the streets, with BJP activists in Mumbai vandalising Congress offices. They reportedly threw chairs, tore posters, and destroyed property. Maharashtra Congress president Varsha Gaikwad condemned the act, saying, “Is this the political decorum we expect in a progressive state like Maharashtra? Shameful!”

"This is getting sinister. BJP workers attacked Congress offices in both Maharashtra and in West Bengal. Are we really staring at a civil war already? Who will drive some sense in the old fogeys who are in power?" journalist Uttam Sengupta posted on X.

In another battleground, Uttar Pradesh, state Congress chief Ajay Rai faced police resistance while attempting to attend the funeral of party worker Prabhat Pandey. Despite being stopped by security forces, Rai managed to reach the site, denouncing the BJP government for politicising even personal tragedies.

The Congress has vowed to intensify its campaign against Shah, framing the BJP’s stance as an affront to Ambedkar’s values and an insult to the Constitution. With Opposition parties uniting over the issue, the controversy is likely to escalate further in the run-up to the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.