It’s Ambedkar Week for Congress as fight against Amit Shah, BJP gathers steam

The decision to intensify the attack on Shah, who the Opposition has accused of insulting Ambedkar during a Rajya Sabha speech on Tuesday, came at a meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on strengthening the fight to uphold the legacy of the Dalit icon.

New Delhi: Stepping up its attack on Amit Shah, Congress on Saturday announced to mark the upcoming week as ‘Dr Ambedkar Samman Saptah’ during which the party will hold marches in district headquarters and submit memorandums to the President through district collectors seeking Home Minister’s removal.

The issue of Ambedkar is also likely to dominate the extended Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled in Karnataka’s Belagavi on Thursday.

The decision to intensify the attack on Shah, who the Opposition has accused of insulting Ambedkar during a Rajya Sabha speech on Tuesday, came at a meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge where they resolved to further strengthen their fight to uphold the legacy of the Dalit icon.

Congress and other Opposition parties had taken umbrage over Shah’s remarks in Rajya Sabha on December 17, “it has now become a fashion to say, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they take the name of God this many times, they will get heaven in seven births.”

As part of the programme, Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal said in a circular to party functionaries, all Congress MPs and Congress Working Committee members would hold press conferences in their respective constituencies or district or state headquarters on December 22 or 23 seeking Shah’s resignation.

This would be followed by ‘Babasaheb Ambedkar Samman March’ on December 24. It will commence with the garlanding of Ambedkar statue and conduct the march holding a giant portrait of the father of Indian Constitution.

At the CWC meeting, Venugopal said, the party is expected to reiterate their commitment to Ambedkar and his ideals. Sources said the CWC may chalk out plans to corner BJP on the issue.

“These actions aim to reaffirm our commitment to protecting the legacy of Ambedkar, who remains a beacon of justice and equality for the nation,” Venugopal said.

Khera said the party would finalise the short-term and medium-term action plan, as the Congress would not compromise on the ideals on which the country is built. The programmes would highlight the attack on Ambedkar and the Constitution.