BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday dismissed Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s demand for his resignation, asserting that it would not alter the party’s prospects in upcoming elections.”
Kharge ji is asking for my resignation. If it would have made him happy, I would have resigned, but it will not end his problems because he will have to sit in the same place (as part of the opposition) for the next 15 years. My resignation will not change that,” Shah said.
Kharge’s call for Shah’s resignation stemmed from controversial remarks made by the BJP leader in the Rajya Sabha about Dalit icon Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Shah had commented that the Congress had turned mentioning Ambedkar into a “fashion.” He added that had the Congress referred to God as often as they invoked Ambedkar, they might have secured “seven lives in heaven,” a statement that triggered widespread outrage.
In response to Shah’s remarks, Kharge demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi take immediate action, calling for Shah’s sacking by midnight if he truly respected Ambedkar. “We demand an apology from Amit Shah. If PM Modi has faith in Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, he should sack Shah immediately. Only then will people remain silent; otherwise, there will be protests,” Kharge said.
Later, addressing a press conference, Amit Shah vehemently rejected the Congress’s portrayal of his comments. He accused the Congress of distorting his words and claimed the party had long been hostile to Ambedkar and his ideals.”
Since yesterday, Congress has been presenting the facts in a distorted way, and I condemn it. Congress is anti-BR Ambedkar, it is against reservation and the Constitution,” Shah remarked. He further criticized the Congress for insulting historical figures like Veer Savarkar and accused them of violating constitutional values during the Emergency.
Shah also took a swipe at the Congress for not awarding Dr. Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna for decades, stating that it was only in 1990, under a government supported by the BJP, that Ambedkar was conferred the prestigious honor. He pointed out that Congress leaders, including Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, had awarded themselves the Bharat Ratna but never honored Ambedkar during their tenures. “Nehru’s hatred towards Ambedkar is well known,” Shah added.
This exchange between the two political leaders has escalated the ongoing war of words between the Congress and BJP, with both sides continuing to defend their positions on Dr. Ambedkar and other key national issues.
