TMC chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday called for statewide protests on December 23 against the BJP, accusing the party of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution.
In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, Banerjee alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made "derogatory remarks" in Parliament about Ambedkar and other members of the Constitution drafting committee.
Banerjee described the comments as an affront to India's democracy and an attack on the values upheld by the Constitution.
"Our Constitution maker Babasaheb Ambedkar's insult is unacceptable! This casteist BJP government has repeatedly attacked our democracy," Banerjee said.
She claimed that the BJP's actions are exposing its "anti-Dalit" agenda.
Terming the remarks as an attack on the "backbone of the Constitution" and a betrayal of Dalit and tribal communities, Banerjee called upon people across West Bengal to join the protests.
"In protest against the derogatory remarks against Babasaheb Ambedkar and the insult to our freedom fighters, protest rallies will be organised on December 23 from 2 PM to 3 PM in every block and municipality of the state, as well as in every ward of Kolkata," Banerjee said in a Facebook post.
She urged people to stand united to protect democratic values and resist the BJP's "tyranny and conspiracies." This is not the first time Banerjee has accused the BJP of undermining constitutional values and democracy. Her party has been vocal in opposing the BJP-led central government on multiple issues, including alleged attacks on federalism and social justice.
On Tuesday night, the Congress shared a clip of Shah's speech, accusing him of insulting Dr. Ambedkar, a revered figure and an icon, particularly among Dalits.
Shah was addressing the Rajya Sabha at the conclusion of a two-day debate on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India.' Referring to the frequent mentions of Ambedkar in political discourse, he 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 got a place in heaven)." Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha related to B R Ambedkar after BJP leaders "exposed" the opposition party's repeated "insults" to the architect of the Constitution.
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