Ambedkar Row: Congress Doubles Down After BJP's Soros Edit Of Protest Pic

Under fire for Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, the BJP today tried to step up its George Soros offensive in an attempt to turn the tables on the Opposition. The BJP morphed the US billionaire's photograph into a picture of Opposition leaders protesting with BR Ambedkar's photos in Parliament.

"Hello, Congress and INDI alliance. We fixed the image for you. You're welcome," said the BJP, which has been alleging that the Congress works with Soros to destabilise the country.

The Congress responded that the ruling party's move to "tamper" with Babasaheb Ambedkar's photo shows they do not have "basic respect" for the architect of the Constitution.

Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told news agency ANI, "The manner in which he (Home Minister Amit Shah) has insulted Babasaheb. After that, this morning they tampered with Babasaheb's photo on Twitter. This is a mindset that vandalises the statue of Babasaheb. Who will trust them?" the Congress MP said. "They say they do not want to end reservation, they do not want to change the Constitution. They do not have basic respect, he (Ambedkar) is the Constitution maker. You are saying this about him," she said. 

Congress MP KC Venugopal asked if protesting against the insult to BR Ambedkar was a "joke" for the BJP. "The BJP is brazen in its insult and ridicule of Dr Ambedkar. Instead of ensuring that the Home Minister is removed from his post for the immense hurt caused to the crores of Babasaheb's followers by Amit Shah's statements, they are doubling down on the ridicule. Is standing up for Dr. Ambedkar against the insult to him a matter of joke for the BJP?"

In his address to the Rajya Sabha during the debate to mark 75 years of the Constitution, the Home Minister Tuesday said taking BR Ambedkar's name had become a "fashion" now. "It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they took God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven," he said.

"Take his name 100 times more, but I want to say what are your sentiments about him." He said BR Ambedkar had to resign from the first Cabinet following his disagreement with the Jawaharlal Nehru-led government.

The Congress and other Opposition parties have alleged that Mr Shah had insulted the Dalit icon and demanded his resgination and an apology. The Trinamool Congress has moved a privilege motion against the Home Minister. The BJP has accused the Congress of circulating a short video clip of the Home Minister's speech to create an issue.

Leading the ruling party's charge, Prime Minister Narendra has said people have seen how the Congress has tried "every possible trick" to obliterate BR Ambedkar's legacy and humiliate Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

In a six-point thread on X, the Prime Minister said the Congress and its "rotten ecosystem" were "gravely mistaken" if they thought "malicious lies" could hide their insult of the architect of the Constitution. "The people of India have seen time and again how one Party, led by one dynasty, has indulged in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and humiliate the SC/ST communities," the Prime Minister said.

Addressing the media last evening, the Home Minister said the Congress was "twisting facts". "I condemn the Congress for twisting facts. Why did it happen? It happened because BJP leaders spoke on how the NDA governments upheld the Constitution and established with facts that the Congress is anti-Ambedkar, anti-Constitution and anti-reservation," he said.

Asked about Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's demand for his resignation, the Home Minister said his exit would not solve the Congress chief's problems and he would continue in the Opposition for 15 more years.