Several organisations working on issues related to social justice and students’ outfits have held protests accusing home minister Amit Shah of insulting B.R. Ambedkar.

Some Dalit organisations said bigger protests were being planned across the country.

The Deekshabhoomi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, an organisation in Nagpur, took out a march in the city to protest the “insult to Ambedkar”, its president Rakesh Dhargawe said.

“The language used by the home minister is an insult to Dr Ambedkar. Babasaheb never believed in any imaginary heaven or rebirth. Babasaheb has tried to make this nation better for all sections. The home minister does not like the contributions made by Ambedkar,” Dhargawe said.

Ashok Bharti, chairman of the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations, said he had heard Shah’s speech in full and that the minister had insulted Ambedkar.

“The minister faulted Ambedkar — it is either a slip of tongue or he was being over-confident. He should apologise. Because he is defending his comments, there will be bigger protests byDalit and Ambedkarite organisations across the country,” he said.

The AISA and the SFI have protested Shah’s remarks. In a statement, the SFI said the comments revealed the “casteist mentality” of the RSS-BJP.

It said universities had been reduced to “killing fields”, with 56 per cent of those dying by suicide at central varsities such as the IITs belonging to the marginalised castes, classes and tribal communities.