Jairam Ramesh.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday sought to debunk BJP's criticism that Congress worked to defeat Ambedkar in Lok Sabha elections in the 1950s. BJP ministers and MPs had raised it during the debates on Constitution in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Quoting from Ashok Gopal's "authoritative biography" of Ambedkar, Ramesh cited a letter written by Ambedkar to Kamalakant Chitre in which the former "himself writes that the plot to defeat him in the first Lok Sabha elections from Bombay North reserved seat was hatched by (SS) Dange and (VD) Savarkar, who was inflamed by his proposal for the partition of Kashmir. Dange, of course, was a noted communist leader".
"This completely debunks the utter lies and propaganda spread by the two master distorians," he said in apparent reference to Modi and Shah.
He also sought to rebut criticism of Nehru bringing in the first amendment to the Constitution, which the BJP said restricted freedom of expression.
Ramesh said Articles 19(2), 15(4), and 31(b) were introduced into the Constitution of India from 18 June, 1951 through the First Amendment and a Select Committee had examined the Bill.
He quoted Jan Sangh leader Syama Prasad Mookerjee writing in his dissent note that the addition of the word "reasonable" before "restrictions" in Article 19(2) is a "very wholesome change" and makes it justiciable.
Ramesh said the word "reasonable" had, in fact, been added by Nehru himself.
"Article 19 (2) followed a letter written by Sardar Patel to Nehru on June 3,1950. Article 15(4) followed the Supreme Court's striking down of reservations in public educational institutions through the Champakam Dorairajan case in then Madras. Article 31(b) was the result of the Supreme Court striking down zamindari abolition laws in Bihar, UP, and other states," he said.
"Both those master distorians--the PM and the HM-- were silent on this background to the 1st Amendment as they attacked their favourite target. But it is too much to expect any adherence to truth and facts from this duo," he added.