'Years of misdeeds...': PM Modi lists Congress's 'sins' against Ambedkar
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused the Congress party of disrespecting Dr. BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. In a series of posts on social media platform X, PM Modi detailed what he described as the Congress's "sins" against Ambedkar. He claimed that the Congress used "every possible dirty trick" to diminish Ambedkar's legacy and humiliate SC/ST communities.
Accusations detailed
Modi accuses Congress of denying Ambedkar Bharat Ratna
Modi said that the Congress denied Ambedkar a Bharat Ratna and defeated him in the elections twice. He mentioned Pandit Nehru campaigned against Ambedkar making his loss a prestige issue. In the 1952 Lok Sabha elections, Ambedkar lost to Congress candidate Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar in Bombay (North). He suffered another defeat in the 1954 by-election in Bhandara to Congress's Bhaurao Borkar.
Alleged inaction
PM accuses Congress of presiding over SC/ST massacres
The Prime Minister also accused Congress of presiding over some of the worst massacres against SC/ST communities. He said despite being in power for years, Congress did nothing substantive to empower these communities. "For years, they sat in power but did nothing substantive to empower the SC and ST communities," he said.
Defense stance
Modi defends Shah's remarks on Ambedkar
PM Modi came out in defense of Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar during a Constitution debate in Rajya Sabha. Shah had slammed Congress for invoking Ambedkar's name often, saying it had become a "fashion." This resulted in Congress demanding Shah's resignation and a public apology. In response to the demands, PM Modi accused Congress of "theatrics" after being "stung and stunned" by Shah's revelations about their history with Ambedkar.
Government initiatives
Modi highlights BJP's efforts to honor Ambedkar's vision
Modi stressed that the BJP government has made important strides in the last decade to pay tribute to Ambedkar's vision. These include pulling 25 crore people out of poverty and tightening the SC/ST Act. The Prime Minister also spoke about initiatives such as Swachh Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, and Ujjwala Yojana as steps to uplift marginalized communities. He spoke about the creation of Panchteerth, five iconic places linked to Ambedkar, constructed after 2014.