The opposition party also alleged that the BJP is "anti-Constitution" and "anti-Ambedkar"
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with LoP in the Lok Sabha and party MP Rahul Gandhi. Pic/PTI
The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP of unleashing a pre-planned conspiracy to shield Home Minister Amit Shah after his "reprehensible statement" about BR Ambedkar, as it demanded that Shah must resign and apologise for his remarks.
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The opposition party also alleged that the BJP is "anti-Constitution" and "anti-Ambedkar".
Addressing a joint press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi condemned Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and said they would continue to protest across the country and that a movement against this had already begun.
"The BJP wants to divert attention from Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and that is why they are raising other issues," Kharge told reporters.
He said they (Congress leaders) were only demanding the resignation of Home Minister Shah and were protesting "in support of our demands, but the BJP MPs blocked us from entering Parliament".
"They pushed me, I lost my balance and sat down," the Congress chief said, adding that he condemns Shah's remarks on Ambedkar.
Kharge said they will run a nationwide movement raising the issue of Ambedkar's alleged insult by the home minister.
Gandhi said the BJP-RSS thinking is "anti-Constitution" and "anti-Ambedkar".
"The BJP is indulging in distraction. We want the apology and resignation of home minister over his remarks on Ambedkar," Gandhi said, adding that they would continue to raise their demand and the Adani issue.
Later, in a post on X, Gandhi said, "Amit Shah, Apologise and Resign." At the press conference, he said a few days ago, the issue of a case being filed against (Gautam) Adani in America came up, on which the BJP did not allow any discussion in the House for the entire session.
"Then came Amit Shah's statement on Ambedkar ji. We have been saying from the beginning that the thinking of BJP-RSS is anti-Constitution and against Ambedkar ji.
The people of BJP and RSS want to erase the contribution of Babasaheb Ambedkar ji. They have shown their thinking towards Ambedkar ji in front of everyone," he said.
Gandhi said they (Congress) had sought Shah's resignation but that did not happen, and "today again he (Shah) tried to divert the issue".
"We were moving peacefully from Ambedkar's statue to the Parliament. BJP MPs were standing on the steps of the Parliament, who were not letting us go inside. Amit Shah has insulted Ambedkar ji, he should apologize for that and resign.
"The main issue that the BJP wants to erase is the Adani case, on which they do not want any discussion. Narendra Modi is selling India to Adani," Gandhi told reporters.
Narrating the events of the day, he said they wanted to go inside Parliament, but BJP leaders came and sat at the gate to "stop us".
Women MPs of the INDIA bloc were also prevented from entering, he claimed.
At the presser, Kharge said, "Even when we were walking towards the Makar Dwar of Parliament, these people were making fun of us. The kind of environment that the BJP has created in the country will not be tolerated anymore. Today, because of this, a movement is being carried out across the country."
Later in a post on X, Kharge said, "Today, the BJP unleashed a pre-planned conspiracy to shield Amit Shah’s reprehensible statement against Babasaheb Ambedkar ji." He said fresh facts have come to light that the BJP MPs also "attacked our women MPs while we were holding a peaceful protest" at the Makar Dwar.
"In a systematic conspiracy, BJP workers ransacked the offices of Mumbai Congress and West Bengal Congress in Mumbai and Kolkata respectively, which was later foiled by our committed Congress workers.
"In their utter frustration, after being exposed first on their agenda to change Constitution and then on their Anti-Babasaheb mindset, Modi-Shah duo have resorted to unleash political violence and intimidation," he said.
The Congress chief said the fact that BJP MPs were sent carrying sticks with placards in the Parliament premises to "obstruct" INDIA bloc's peaceful protest was nothing but a carefully "choreographed conspiracy to deflect attention".
"Every Indian who believes in social justice and an egalitarian society will unitedly fight against BJP’s oppressive tyranny and Manuvadi mindset," he said in his post.
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