Will fight to defend Babasaheb’s ideals ‘until our very last breath’: Congress

The Indian National Congress on Tuesday paid homage to B.R. Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, with senior leaders warning of threats to his legacy and the Constitution while reaffirming their commitment to defend its core principles.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that “certain forces are systematically engaged in undermining” Ambedkar’s legacy and weakening democratic institutions.

“Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar gave us not merely a Constitution, but the vision of an empowered India founded upon justice, equality, and dignity,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

“However, today, certain forces are systematically engaged in undermining this legacy… democratic institutions are being hollowed out, rights are being trampled upon, and the very ethos of equality is under attack,” he added.

“This nation is built upon the ideals of Babasaheb and I will continue to fight to defend them with every ounce of my strength, until my very last breath. Together, we will once again realize the India of Babasaheb's dreams,” Rahul Gandhi said, extending Ambedkar Jayanti greetings.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also struck a similar note, calling Ambedkar the “visionary who gave India its moral and Constitutional soul” and a “relentless warrior for liberty, equality, fraternity and justice.”

“Today, when the Constitution faces a conspiratorial attack, his words and warnings echo with renewed urgency. This is a moment that calls for courage and conviction,” Kharge said.

“We must not merely remember him, we must rise to defend every principle he enshrined, to protect every right he secured, and to uphold every value he lived and fought for,” he added.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said Ambedkar had provided a “protective shield” to citizens through the Constitution.

“The architect of the Constitution… bestowed upon every Indian a guarantee of liberty, equality, justice, and fraternity,” she said.

“Equal opportunity for all, equal rights, and the welfare of every individual constitute the very core of Babasaheb’s ideology. A solemn pledge to uphold these values is the truest tribute to him,” she added.

Ambedkar, widely regarded as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, was born on 14 April 1891, in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, and remains a towering figure in India’s democratic and social justice framework.

With PTI inputs