Kejriwal leads AAP protests in Delhi over Shah's remark on Ambedkar, demands action against him

New Delhi: AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday led a protest near the BJP headquarters here over Amit Shah's remark on B R Ambedkar and demanded "strict action" against the Union Home Minister, saying it hurt the sentiments of crores of Dalits.

The former Delhi chief minister said the AAP will go door to door in Delhi ahead of the assembly polls due in February to tell people about the "insult" of Ambedkar by the BJP leader.

"The way Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended Shah, it appears that what he said in Parliament was a 'pre-meditated conspiracy' of the BJP," he charged.

Shah's statement has caused a "grave insult" to Ambedkar. "He made fun of Ambedkar in a way," Kejriwal alleged.

He added that Shah's remark has hurt the sentiments of crores of Dalits, backward and poor people in the country.

The Union minister's remark also hurt the crores of followers of Ambedkar like him, he said.

"Strict action should be taken against Shah so that the anger of the people subsides even though it will not go away completely," he said, addressing the protesters.

The leadership of the BJP has now made it clear that it is against Ambedkar, Kejriwal alleged. "It is now the time for BJP supporters to decide whether they were with the party or with Ambedkar," he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva charged Kejriwal is attempting to "mislead" the Dalit community before elections through demonstration in Ambedkar's name.

"He must explain to Delhiites how many times he, as Delhi chief minister, paid tribute at Babasaheb’s memorial at 26, Alipur Road located right across his then official residence at 6 Flag Staff Road," Sachdeva said.

During the AAP protest, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and other AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Sandeep Pathak, and Saurabh Bharadwaj were also present.

AAP leaders and volunteers tried to march towards the BJP headquarters on DDU Marg but were stopped by police deployed on the barricaded road.

The protesters chanted “Ambedkar Ambedkar” and sat on the road when their march was stopped by the police.

They also expressed their protest through slogans like “Babasaheb Ka Apmaan Nahi Sahega Hindustan” and “Jai, Jai, Jai Bhim", demanding Shah to apologise for his remark.

Later, Kejriwal in a post on X, said "Jo Baba Saheb Se Kare Pyar, Wo BJP Ko Kare Inkar" (those who love Baba Saheb, say no to BJP).

Shah has come under fire from the opposition parties over his remark on Ambedkar in the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday.

"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 got a place in heaven)," Shah had said.

On Wednesday, Shah in a press conference hit back at the Congress that is leading the opposition's attack on him, alleging the party twisted facts and distorted his comments in the Rajya Sabha.