Shah’s misinterpretation and subsequent lies about Ambedkar and his opinions on two crucial aspects of his argument against the Congress have gone unnoticed amidst the outrage.
Under fire for his remarks in parliament about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the resurgence of anti-caste advocacy in contemporary politics, Amit Shah accused the Congress of “distorting and twisting” his statements and circulating “mischievous” videos. The Union home minister refused to resign, despite increasing protests urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove him from the cabinet. To understand Shah’s perspective on the controversy, let’s examine his remarks and the context in which they were made.
“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 took God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven),” he said in his Rajya Sabha speech. Shah’s tone was aggressive, a style that works well in campaign speeches. However, in his attempt to criticize Congress’s alleged neglect of social justice while paying lip service to Ambedkar, he went too far. At the Rajya Sabha, Shah seemed unaware that his statement would cause such an uproar, ultimately belittling the anti-caste icon. Additionally, Shah misconstrued and lied about Ambedkar’s views on two key points that formed the basis of his argument against Congress.
