NEW DELHI: Former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday targeted the Congress party for what he termed as hypocrisy in its treatment of BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, and its failure to adequately protect Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) communities.
Addressing a press conference, Prasad accused the grand old party of forcing Ambedkar to resign as law minister during the first general elections and preventing him from building a memorial, despite now invoking his name for political purposes.
“Congress’s love for Ambedkar is overflowing,” Prasad said. “They forced him to resign, denied him the chance to build a memorial, and didn’t even let him speak during his resignation. Now, they hold press conference in his name.”
The BJP MP also raised questions about Congress’s silence on Ambedkar’s resignation, demanding an explanation. “Congress should explain why Ambedkar’s resignation was never made public,” he said.
Prasad further alleged that Congress has failed to ensure proper protections for SC/ST communities. “SC/STs have not been given proper protection. Only Muslims have been provided adequate safeguards,” he said.
Highlighting the BJP’s efforts, former Union minister praised the Modi government for honouring Ambedkar with a memorial. He also pointed out that streets have been named after Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, but not Ambedkar. “Ambedkar has finally received recognition under the BJP government,” he said.
He also called for an apology from Congress for its treatment of Ambedkar. “The BJP demands that Congress apologise for its documented mistreatment of Ambedkar. Ambedkar was against partition, and this fundamental difference in thinking sets the BJP apart. We believe in respecting even our staunchest opponents.” Prasad added.
Union minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh echoed Prasad’s sentiments, asserting that Congress has disrespected Ambedkar since the tenure of former Prime Minister Nehru. “From the time of Pandit Nehru until now, Congress has disrespected BR Ambedkar. It is the BJP that has given Babasaheb the respect he truly deserves,” Singh said.
