Cong ignored Ambedkar’s contributions: Amit Shah

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, April 14

BJP national president Amit Shah today criticised the Congress for failing to regard, remember and reward the chairman of Constitution Drafting committee, first Law Minister and social reformer Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar in its 50-odd years of rule in the country.

Shah was was the chief guest at the Samrasta Sammelan organised as part of Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary here today. Shah in his 24-minute speech attributed the country’s unity and diversity remaining intact to the contributions by Ambedkar and Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel.

“It is ironical that while these two legendary statesmen provided the Constitution to the country and unified 500-odd dynasties, the Congress failed to give them the due credit or recognition. It was the Janata Dal-led National Front government that awarded Bharat Ratna to Baba Sahib in 1990. Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at Ambedkar’s birthplace Mhow to pay tribute to him. Has any Congress Prime Minister or the government ever recognised and observed Ambedkar’s anniversary?” Shah said.

He added the Congress always played vote bank politics in Ambedkar’s name and was now levelling false charges against the BJP that was celebrating the 125th birth anniversary of the great Dalit leader.

“The BJP through ‘Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday’ has given a new development vision and dimension to rural India on Ambedkar’s birth anniversary,” he said.

Shah added that if India were to become a world leader, it could not ignore poor and backward sections of society in development. “This is the mantra the BJP is focusing on to realise Ambedkar’s dreams and ideals. The Congress is a family-centric party while the BJP represents all sections of society. It works for all round development and unified India,” said Shah, who finished his speech with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Vande Matram’. Earlier, Shah paid floral tribute at a Ambedkar statue at Kadach in Jwalapur.