Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Congress Tuesday organised ‘Ambedkar Samman March’ across the state in protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s alleged remarks against BR Ambedkar.
Carrying posters and pictures of Ambedkar, Congress leaders and supporters held demonstrations in Bhubaneswar, Koraput, Dhenkanal and Malkangiri.
They raised slogans against BJP’s Shah for allegedly insulting Ambedkar during the debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha last week.
A delegation of Congress leaders later submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu through the ADM, Bhubaneswar, demanding Shah’s apology and resignation.
Former state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said, “BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah has insulted Ambedkar and the Constitution, which is unfortunate and shameful. We are deeply hurt by his words.”
He further added that Shah should apologise to the people of the country and step down from his position.
Senior Congress leader Mohammed Moquim added, “Shah’s remark has hurt every citizen, including dalits, minorities, and backward communities. The entire country demands the home minister’s resignation.”
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He also called for Shah to admit his mistake and apologise publicly.
Moquim also commented on the alleged physical assault on two BJP MPs in Parliament, claiming that the saffron party parliamentarians, including Balasore MP Pratap Sarangi, “staged a drama.”
He noted that when Congress demanded the release of CCTV footage, the Lok Sabha Speaker rejected the request, suggesting the BJP was trying to cover up the incident.
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar unit of the CPI(M) also protested the issue and burnt an effigy of Shah.
CPI(M) state secretary Suresh Panigrahy condemned the Home Minister’s remarks as “highly unfortunate, anti-tribal and anti-dalit.”
PTI