Amit Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar reflect BJP’s arrogance; PM should act against him: Uddhav

PTI, Dec 18, 2024, 4:39 PM IST

Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar show BJP’s “arrogance” and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi take action against him.

Addressing a press conference here, Thackeray accused the BJP of insulting icons and revered figures of Maharashtra, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr Ambedkar.

He also claimed that Shah would not have dared to make remarks about Dr Ambedkar without the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr Ambedkar show the party’s (BJP’s) arrogance and have exposed its true face,” Thackeray said.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi should act against Amit Shah for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar and he should quit if he is not able to do so,” the former chief minister said.

Thackeray alleged that the BJP was trying to erase Dr Ambedkar’s name, but that cannot happen and the party itself will perish in its attempts to do so.

He asked whether the Telugu Desam Party, Janata Dal (United), Ramdas Athawale’s Republican Party of India (A) and Shiv Sena – all allies of the BJP – agree with Shah’s remarks on Ambedkar.

He also sought to know if Athawale will quit as Union minister as a mark of protest against Shah’s remarks.

The Sena (UBT) chief claimed that Shah would not have dared to make remarks about Dr Ambedkar without the backing of the BJP and the RSS.

“Even the RSS should clarify whether it has spoken like this through Amit Shah,” he said.

BJP’s Hindutva is “deceptive”, Thackeray said, adding that their Hindutva is to divide and rule.

“They are only involved in ‘satta jihad’ (power jihad). They want to finish Maharashtra. They want to show no one existed before the BJP came to power. They have mustered so much courage that they attacked (Jawaharlal) Nehru until now but have started talking about Ambedkar,” Thackeray said.

Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray posted a video of Shah’s speech in Parliament saying this is a glimpse of hatred the BJP has.

“So much hatred for a person who gave justice, respect to crores of people. They want to erase Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s name from the country. Yes, Dr Amebdkar is God (for the people of the country),” he said on X.