Congress warns of protests across country, CMs of Opp-ruled states join chorus.
SETTING THE stage for another confrontation with the government, the Opposition on Wednesday cut across party lines to demand Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s “removal” from the Cabinet, accusing him of “insulting” Dr B R Ambedkar in his remarks in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to act “before midnight”, the Opposition parties raised the issue in both Houses of Parliament and also staged protests outside, displaying Ambedkar’s photographs and raising slogans like, “Amit Shah maafi maango; Babasaheb ka apmaan, nahin sahega Hindustan (Amit Shah, apologise; Babasaheb’s insult will not be tolerated).”
In Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Derek O’Brien submitted a privilege notice against Shah. And in Lok Sabha, Congress MP K Suresh gave a notice for an adjournment motion to discuss Shah’s remarks.
Replying to the two-day debate in Rajya Sabha on the ‘Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India’, Shah had said on Tuesday: “Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai — Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar… Itna naam agar Bhagwan ka lete toh saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (There is a fashion these days — Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar… Had you chanted the name of God these many times, you would have been blessed with heaven in seven births).” He went on to add, “we are happy that Ambedkar’s name is being taken”, before listing the Congress’s “injustices” towards him.
Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters on Wednesday evening, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said: “We want an apology from Amit Shah. We want Modiji to remove him before midnight if he has any respect for the Constitution. Only then, will people be quiet… Otherwise, there are people who are willing to give their lives for Babasaheb. There is no question of caste. Ambedkar is for all.”
“I say to the PM that if you have any space for Babasaheb, then remove Amit Shah ji immediately. If not, then all you say about Ambedkar ji is drama… Our first demand is removal of Amit Shah, and second is an apology,” he said, adding that if Shah was not removed from the Cabinet, protests would be held across the country.