Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday alleged that Home Minister Amit Shah's comments on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar show the BJP's 'arrogance' and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against him.
Thackeray accused the BJP of insulting Maharashtra icons including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Dr. Ambedkar. He alleged that Amit Shah Dr. Ambedkar would not have criticized without BJP and RSS support.
The Sena (UBT) leader asked whether the BJP's allies – Telugu Desam Party, JD(U), Ramdas Athawale's RPI and Shiv Sena – agree with Shah's comments on Ambedkar.
Here are the 10 things Thackeray said:
- The way Amit Shah spoke in Parliament yesterday showed brazenness.
- He said that taking Ambedkar's name has become a fashion and if they had taken God's name, they would have equally been in heaven.
- Who are you? Ambedkar ji is a personality who is not tied to any party…
- The way the BJP is insulting someone who gave us the Constitution is not acceptable to us.
- Will BJP and RSS take action against Amit Shah? Or did they tell Amit to say this?
- …Is this acceptable to other parties who have extended support to Amit Shah, be it Chandrababu Naidu or Nitish Kumar or Ajit Pawar? Will Ramdas Athawale remain in their cabinet even after that?
- …Will the Prime Minister take action against him or did the Prime Minister tell him to?
- RSS should clarify whether this was Amit Shah's personal opinion or whether they told him that…
The Opposition Congress on Tuesday alleged that Shah's comments in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Constitution show that the BJP and RSS leaders have “much hatred” against Ambedkar and demanded an apology from him. Jairam Ramesh, Congress general secretary in charge of communications, had shared a video clip on X from Shah's speech in the Upper House.