Trinamool Moves Privilege Notice Against Amit Shah Over Ambedkar Remarks

Amid the massive row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, the Trinamool Congress has moved a privilege notice against him and said he had undermined the legacy of the Constitution's architect and Parliament's dignity.

Derek O'Brien, leader of the Trinamool Congress in Rajya Sabha, has moved the notice under Rule 187. The privilege notice comes amid an all-out Opposition offensive against the Home Minister, accusing him of insulting the Dalit icon in his speech in the Upper House yesterday.

While speaking during the debate to mark 75 years of the Constitution, Mr Shah yesterday said that taking BR Ambedkar's name had become a "fashion" for Opposition leaders 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." Mr Shah said BR Ambedkar had to resign from the first Cabinet following his disagreement with the Jawaharlal Nehru-led government.