MP BJP chief poses questions to Congress on Ambedkar issue

Bhopal, Dec 23 (IANS) Amid controversy over the alleged insult to Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, Madhya Pradesh BJP chief V.D. Sharma posed several questions to Congress and sought answers on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Sharma alleged that the Congress party has indulged in a "malicious" attempt to mislead the people to create "unrest" in the country on Dr Ambedkar issue.

Responding to former MP CM Digvijaya Singh's allegation that the incident that occurred on Parliament premises was a planned conspiracy by the BJP, Sharma said the Congress has always believed in "politics of division" and its leaders like Digvijaya Singh are the "masterminds".

"Digvijaya Singh has made false claims about an incident that occurred near Parliament's gate. This is unfortunate that Congress and its leaders are running away from the facts and they are deliberately making false claims," Sharma said.

The BJP chief, who is also a two-time sitting BJP MP from the Khajuraho Lok Sabha seat, then raised questions related to Dr Ambedkar and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

"Digvijaya Singh said (in a press conference) that Dr Ambedkar was forced to witness humiliation on many occasions. BJP wants to ask Congress' top leadership and Digvijaya Singh to reply that who had humiliated Dr Ambedkar?," BJP leader asked.

He further sought a reply from Congress on Dr Ambedkar's resignation as Law Minister from ex-PM Nehru's cabinet in 1951, and a statement made by Nehru on that political development. "All these things are not BJP's allegations, but the facts are available to the people," Sharma, added.

The BJP leader further claimed that Congress never respected Dr Ambedkar mainly because he stood against its (Congress) nefarious acts, be it Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir or on any other issues.

"During Congress-led UPA-2 (2009-2014), in an NCERT book, Dr. Ambedkar's photograph was presented in a very disrespectful manner here in Madhya Pradesh. Why was that done and for what regions?" Sharma said responding to Congress' allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

On Saturday, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh alleged that the incident that occurred near Parliament’s gate, leading to a physical altercation between MPs from the ruling and the opposition bloc, was a planned conspiracy of the BJP.

"One BJP MP fell on another. Both were injured. The one who fell said that Rahul Gandhi was standing in front of him. If he was standing in front, could he have pushed him?" Digvijaya Singh has said.

The confrontation occurred as MPs from the NDA and the Opposition bloc staged separate protests outside Parliament over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B.R. Ambedkar. The situation escalated into a physical altercation when members from both sides clashed, resulting in jostling and injuries.