NEW DELHI: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his recent remarks about B.R. Ambedkar in Parliament, describing Ambedkar as “the god of modern India.”
During his visit to the Bhagwan Valmiki Mandir at Mandir Marg, Kejriwal urged people to choose between Ambedkar and the BJP. “Jo Baba Saheb se kare pyaar, vo BJP ko kare inkaar (Those who love Baba Saheb must reject the BJP),” he declared.
Kejriwal alleged that Shah’s comments were deeply offensive to Ambedkar’s legacy. “The words used were hurtful, but the tone made it clear how much disdain he has for Baba Saheb. At first, I thought it might have been unintentional, but when even Prime Minister Narendra Modi supported the remarks the next day, it became evident this was deliberate,” he claimed.
The AAP chief suggested that the BJP’s statements reflected their true feelings toward Ambedkar. Emphasizing his party’s admiration for the Constitution’s architect, Kejriwal said, “For AAP, Ambedkar and Bhagat Singh are our guiding lights. That’s why we’ve made it mandatory for their portraits to be displayed in all government offices in Delhi and Punjab. We’ve also implemented initiatives like the Jai Bhim Yojana. For us, Ambedkar is synonymous with modern India’s ideals.”
Kejriwal called for a grassroots campaign to spread Ambedkar’s teachings and announced plans to have citizens take a pledge to uphold his values.
Shah’s comments in the Rajya Sabha earlier this week drew sharp criticism from opposition parties. Referring to the frequent mentions of Ambedkar by political opponents, Shah had said, “These days, it’s become a trend—Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God’s name as many times, they’d have secured a place in heaven for seven lifetimes.”
Defending his remarks at a press conference on Wednesday, Shah accused the Congress of distorting his words. He stated that his comments were aimed at exposing what he described as the opposition’s history of disrespecting Ambedkar’s legacy.
