Kumar Bahukhandi
Several MPs of the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi staged a protest in Parliament premises on Wednesday December 18, 2024 demanding Home Minister Amit Shah’s apology for his remarks insulting B.R. Ambedkar.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha (LS) and Rajya Sabha (RS) proceedings were both adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday December 18 ,2024 due to heated protests from Congress members over remarks made by Home Minister Amit Shah, which they claimed insulted B.R. Ambedkar.
In the Lok Sabha, as soon as the House convened for the day, Congress members trooped into the Well, holding posters of Ambedkar and demanding an apology from Shah. The protests stemmed from Shah’s comments during a Rajya Sabha discussion on Tuesday, which Congress leaders claimed were disrespectful to Ambedkar. Several members of the INDIA alliance also joined the protests, standing in solidarity with the Congress.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, was present in the House. Opposition members, including those from Trinamool Congress, raised their voices in support. Despite Speaker Om Birla’s call to continue with the Question Hour, the proceedings were disrupted within minutes, forcing an adjournment until 2 pm.
In the Rajya Sabha, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh led the charge, alleging that Amit Shah had insulted Ambedkar. Several other Congress members joined him, raising slogans like “Ambedkar ka apmaan nahi sahaega Hindustan” (India will not tolerate the insult of Ambedkar). In response, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju countered, accusing the Congress of disrespecting Ambedkar by failing to honor him with a Bharat Ratna.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, raised a poster of Ambedkar, intensifying the protest. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar then adjourned the proceedings until 2 pm, amid the continuing uproar.
The opposition is demanding an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on Tuesday December 17 , 2024 . While Congress members and other opposition parties have condemned Shah’s statement, the government has defended the remarks, with some ministers claiming the Congress has historically disrespected Ambedkar’s legacy. The standoff between the two sides continued to escalate as both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day’s proceedings.
