‘I am Ambedkar’: INDIA bloc say ‘Jai Bhim!’, protest in blue

Dressed in blue, a colour associated with Dr B.R. Ambedkar, Opposition INDIA bloc members on Thursday, 19 December 2024, took out a protest march in the parliament premises, demanding the resignation of home minister Amit Shah for his remarks naming the architect of the Constitution.

Shah remarked that invoking Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion”.

BJP-led NDA parliamentarians also marched within the premises, raising slogans and carrying placards demanding an apology from the opposition Congress instead for allegedly insulting Ambedkar!

Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shashi Tharoor were seen marching from Ambedkar's statue within the parliament complex to the new Parliament House, raising slogans of 'Jai Bhim' and carrying photographs of the leader.

A massive political row erupted on Wednesday, 18 December 2024, as the Congress and other opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders rallied to his defence and said he has exposed Congress' "anti-Ambedkar" stand.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha told reporters that while he was trying to enter the parliament building, BJP members pushed and "threatened" him.

"It is our right to enter Parliament," he said.

In a video shared by the Congress, BJP MPs can be seen jostling with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi and other women MPs.

"This is sheer hooliganism. BJP is ruling the temple of democracy. This will not be tolerated at any cost," said Congress.

The BJP have since been rather vociferous about the LoP having "injured" one of its MPs.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till 2 p.m. following noisy protests by the Opposition seeking an apology from home minister Amit Shah for his remarks on B.R. Ambedkar — just as they were yesterday and the day before.

In the mean time, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has submitted a privilege notice against Amit Shah. (Yesterday, 18 December, Trinamool leader Derek O'Brien had also done so.)

During the protests, Congress' general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal spoke to mediapersons and spoke of the BJP's social media handle also insulting Ambedkar: "I'm unsure what these people are doing, but their actions clearly reflect their mindset, which is strongly opposed to the Constitution."

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra agreed with Venugopal, saying, “[Amit Shah] insulted Babasaheb, and now they’ve tampered with his image on social media. This is the same mindset that desecrates his statues. How can we trust them when they claim to uphold the Constitution?”

The controversy began during the parliamentary debate marking 75 years of the Constitution, where Shah remarked that invoking Ambedkar’s name had become a “fashion” and suggested that the Congress should rather invoke God's name as often so that they might be assured a place in heaven for seven generations/rebirths.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had shared the video of this portion of Amit Shah's speech.

Shah, for his part, has doubled down and has been trying to turn the tables on the Congress, accusing the opposition party of “twisting facts”.

At a press briefing, he claimed, “The Congress is anti-Ambedkar, anti-Constitution, and anti-reservation. They are distorting my words to divert attention from their own failures.”

With PTI inputs