PM not ready to accept mistake on ‘insult’ to Ambedkar; we will fight for his respect: Kharge

Congress chief Kharge criticizes PM Modi and government for not accepting Amit Shah's insulting remarks about B R Ambedkar. Sonia Gandhi lashes out at BJP as legacy of Mahatma Gandhi under threat

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (December 26, 2024) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government are not ready to accept the mistake Home Minister Amit Shah made with his "extremely insulting" remarks about B R Ambedkar and asserted that the party will fight for the respect of the architect of the Constitution.

In his opening remarks in Belagavi at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting 'Nav Satyagraha Baithak' to mark the 100 years of Mahatma Gandhi assuming the presidentship of the party at the Belgaum session, Mr. Kharge alleged that constitutional institutions are being controlled and cited the example of the Election Commission.

"The matter of concern is that people's faith in the electoral process is gradually decreasing because questions are being raised on the impartiality of the Commission. A few days ago, they changed the election rules so that the information that the court had ordered to be shared could be stopped. What is it that they are trying to hide?" he said.

"Sometimes the names of voters are deleted from the list, sometimes they are prevented from casting their vote, sometimes there is a sudden increase in the number of voters in the list, sometimes at the last moment of voting, the vote percentage increases unexpectedly. These are some questions that keep arising for which no satisfactory answer is found," Mr. Kharge said.

Raising the issue of Mr. Shah's remarks on Ambedkar in Rajya Sabha earlier this month, Mr. Kharge said the statement was "extremely insulting to the maker of the Constitution.

"We raised objections, protested, demonstrated. Now protests are taking place all over the country. But the Prime Minister and the government are not ready to accept their mistake. Far from seeking an apology and resignation from Amit Shah, they supported the objectionable statement," he said.

The Prime Minister issued a statement in defence of the Home Minister and a false case was filed against Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, he said.