Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Tuesday accused former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of “insulting” BR Ambedkar and asked the Congress to tender an unconditional apology to the people of India.
In a hastily convened press briefing in Bhubaneswar, Majhi said, “The Congress and its leaders have insulted Ambedkar and even campaigned against him in the 1952 and 1954 elections. People of India know who insulted Ambedkar and those who respect.”
Majhi alleged that earlier Congress governments prioritised quotas for Muslims while ignoring the interests of STs and SCs.
“Ambedkar strongly opposed this, leading to differences with Nehru, which eventually resulted in his resignation,” Majhi claimed.
Ambedkar, who was the Union Law minister in the first Nehru ministry, resigned in 1951.
A major row erupted last week over the alleged remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a debate on the Constitution in Parliament following which the Congress launched an all-out attack on the BJP and has been repeatedly demanding Shah’s resignation.
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Majhi mentioned that Nehru, in a letter to BC Ray, had said Ambedkar’s resignation would not affect the Congress. “Nehru even campaigned against Ambedkar in elections,” Majhi added, emphasising that BJP leadership has always respected him.
“Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee established a memorial for Ambedkar at his birthplace in Madhya Pradesh. Similarly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened an Ambedkar Centre in Delhi,” Majhi said, highlighting the BJP’s consistent respect for great personalities of the country.
Majhi also alleged that in 1970, the Congress government conferred a Padma Award to Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar, who had defeated Ambedkar in elections.
“This is a strange situation where Congress criticises and accuses others of insulting Ambedkar while Nehru himself disrespected him,” Majhi said, accusing the grand old party of hatching a political conspiracy and misrepresenting Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks.
“I ask Congress to stop engaging in such politics,” Majhi added.
PTI