New Delhi, December 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the party of systematically undermining Dr. BR Ambedkar's legacy. Defending Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent remarks in Parliament, Modi said Shah had exposed Congress's "dark history" of marginalizing Ambedkar and the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), PM Modi stated, "Congress can try as they want, but they can't deny that the worst massacres against SC/ST communities have happened under their regimes. For years, they sat in power but did nothing substantive to empower these communities."
Highlighting the Congress party's alleged failures, Modi enumerated instances such as Ambedkar's electoral defeats and the denial of a Bharat Ratna during his lifetime. "Pandit Nehru even made Ambedkar's defeat a prestige issue," Modi claimed.
He accused the Congress of engaging in "dirty tricks" to erase Ambedkar's legacy and stated that the BJP-led government has worked tirelessly to honor Ambedkar's vision. Modi listed initiatives like the development of the "Panchteerth" (five iconic sites associated with Ambedkar), resolving land issues for Chaitya Bhoomi, and acquiring Ambedkar's London residence as examples of his government's commitment.
He also emphasized how flagship government schemes, such as Swachh Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, and Ujjwala Yojana, have uplifted marginalized communities, fulfilling Ambedkar’s vision of social justice.
The remarks followed opposition protests in Parliament led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who criticized Amit Shah’s comments on Ambedkar. Shah had alleged that the Congress uses Ambedkar’s name as a political tool, remarking, "If they had taken God’s name as many times as they invoke Ambedkar, they would have secured heaven for seven lives."
This heated exchange has further intensified the political debate over Ambedkar's legacy, with both parties claiming to uphold his vision for the nation.
