BJP against caste census as party is anti-Dalit: Congress leader Ajoy Kumar

Speaking against the backdrop of Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar, the Congress leader demanded that the Union Home Minister apologise to the nation.

Jamshedpur, Jharkhand: Amid ongoing protests over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar, senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar alleged that the BJP, which "adheres to the principles of Manusmriti", has always "insulted" Dalits.

The AICC executive committee member, in a statement issued here on Sunday, said that the "true character of the BJP, which practices Manusmriti, was exposed" with Shah's comments in the Rajya Sabha.

"BJP leaders' mindset has always been anti-Dalit, which often gets reflected in their statements intentionally or unintentionally," Kumar alleged. Shah's remark on Ambedkar was not only an 'insult to him but also to crores of Dalits of the country who consider him God", Kumar, the AICC in-charge of Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, claimed.

The Congress leader alleged that the "BJP was against caste-based census because of its anti-Dalit approach".

"This was not the first time when the BJP's anti-Dalit character came to the fore... there are many past instances," Kumar, who lost to BJP's Purnima Das Sahu in Jamshedpur East seat in the recent Jharkhand assembly elections, claimed.

"It was Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru's Congress which has always given respect to Dalits," Kumar said.

He demanded that Shah apologise publicly to the nation.

During a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha last week, Shah had said, "Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar Bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have attained heaven for seven lifetimes)."

On Wednesday, Shah held a press conference in which he accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha.

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed constant protests from treasury benches and opposition members over the alleged insult of Ambedkar until both the houses were adjourned sine die on Friday.