The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Opposition protests against Union home minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar marked the day in parliament today, December 18.
In his speech in the Upper House of the parliament on December 17, Shah had said:
“Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai – Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata.”
Translated, it says, “It has become fashion now to say ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar’. Had you taken god’s name so many times, you would have got a place in heaven.”
Congress and other opposition parties today held protests in the parliament campus, demanding a public apology from Shah for his remarks. PTI reported that they raised slogans such as ‘Jai Bhim’, ‘Sangh ka Vidhan nahi chalega’ and ‘Amit Shah maafi maango’.
Dr Ambedkar is the architect of the Indian constitution and a national icon.
PTI has further reported that Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said that the “insult” of Ambedkar by Shah has once again proven that the BJP-RSS were against the tricolour, their forefathers opposed the Ashoka Chakra and the people of the Sangh Parivar wanted to implement Manusmriti instead of the constitution of India.
Meanwhile, prime minister Narendra Modi took to X to defend Shah. In a series of posts on X, Modi said Shah has “exposed the Congress’ dark history of insulting Dr. Ambedkar and ignoring the SC/ST Communities.”
“They are clearly stung and stunned by the facts he presented, which is why they are now indulging in theatrics! Sadly, for them, people know the truth!” Modi wrote.
He also posted: “It is due to Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar that we are what we are! Our Government has worked tirelessly to fulfil the vision of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar over the last decade.”