A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah staged a protest outside the BJP headquarters accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded answers from Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar on the matter. Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) are BJP’s main allies.
“Baba Sahab is not just a leader, he is the soul of our nation. After this statement by BJP, people expect you to think deeply on this issue…,” Kejriwal said in the letter.
The opposition has been demanding Shah’s “removal” from the cabinet, accusing him of “insulting” Ambedkar in his remarks in the Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded in a row by hitting out at the Congress “and its rotten ecosystem” for “their malicious lies”.
In a post on X, Kejriwal shared the letter and said, “BJP has insulted Babasaheb in Parliament. People think that those who love Babasaheb cannot support BJP. Should also think about it.”
Baba Saheb has been insulted in the BJP Parliament. People think that those who love Baba Saheb cannot support BJP. Consider this too.
My letter to Shri N. Chandra Babu Naidu Ji. pic.twitter.com/87pKYTfdDY
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 19, 2024
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In his letter, Kejriwal said, “Recently, the statement made by Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament about Baba Saheb has shocked the entire nation. His comment that ‘Ambedkar-Ambedkar slogans have become a fashion these days’ is not only insulting, it also reveals the BJP’s attitude towards Babasaheb and our Constitution.
Kejriwal further pointed out that Ambedkar was awarded the title of ‘Doctor of Law’ by Columbia University, wrote the Indian Constitution, and advocated equal rights for the most marginalized sections of society. How dare the BJP make such comments about him? Kejriwal said.
Stating that Shah’s comments in Parliament hurt the sentiments of crores of people across the country, Kejriwal said, “Instead of apologizing for his remarks, Amit Shah justified it. PM publicly endorsed Amit Shah ji’s comments, which added insult to injury… People are starting to realize that those who respect Babasaheb can no longer support BJP.
Kejriwal will visit the Valmiki temple in Delhi region to raise the issue, party officials said.
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