New Delhi [India], December 21 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju lashed out at the Congress party, alleging that the party "tortured" Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and got him defeated in the elections on "mission mode."
In an interview with ANI, the Union Minister took a jibe at Congress, saying that copies of the Constitution "don't look good" in his hands.
He also pointed out that the Congress party didn't give Bharat Ratna to BR Ambedkar while adding that former PM Jawaharlal Nehru gave Bharat Ratna to himself.
"There is no one in the Congress who has the courage to make Rahul Gandhi understood. People should tell Rahul Gandhi that the picture of BR Ambedkar and the copies of the Constitution do not look good in his hands. Since the time of Pandit Nehru and till date - Congress has disrespected the Constitution. They tortured BR Ambedkar. Babasaheb ko bhaga bhaga kr haraya hai. I told this thing in Maharashtra to everyone that in 1951 when Babasaheb resigned as law minister, he wanted to fight the Lok Sabha elections and wanted to be re-elected as an MP but Congress was on mission mode to defeat Babasaheb Ambedkar in Elections and again in byelections Congress party conspired and used all its power to defeat Baba Saheb. Why did they do this?" Rijiju said.
"After all this, they did not even give Bharat Ratna to Babasaheb. I said this in Parliament, Nehru ji gave Bharat Ratan to himself but they (congress) did not give Bharat Ratna to Babasaheb. In 1990 Babasaheb got the Bharat Ratna. Rahul Gandhi's thinking does not match with that of Ambedkar ji. They should not carry photos of Ambedkar. I request with folded hands that Rahul Gandhi should not carry a photo of Ambedkar in his hands. Jo nhi jachta hai vo nhi krna chahiye. Nakli kaam mat karo," he added.
He further asserted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP is carrying forward the "legacy" of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
"I belong to the community of BR Ambedkar. As someone from the Buddhist community, I got the opportunity to sit on the chair of Babasaheb Ambedkar after 71 years. We all from the SC, ST community who got the opportunity to work under the leadership of PM Modi - today, we are carrying forward the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar," he said.
The Union Minister said that he has demanded an apology from the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for 'insulting' the Constitution, and for "damaging the legacy" of BR Ambedkar.
"We are very open to all the discussions we have already asked and appealed to the opposition parties to join and run the house because it is a collective effort. The government puts up the bills and business and the timeline and everything to run the House. But the cooperation of the operation part is necessary. Congress parties should realize that the people of India have voted for the members to perform in the Parliament not to display their physical strength and cause injury to other MPs," Rijiju said.
He added, "Good sense should prevail to Congress party. I have asked apology from the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for insulting the Constitution, for damaging the legacy of BR Ambedkar and for causing injury to the MPs for many things. But I don't think Rahul Gandhi is corrigible. He is not going to improve in his outlook in a positive manner."
Being asked about former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Union Minister said that he did not want to comment anything on that person who "betrayed" Anna Hazare.
"What can I say about Arvind Kejriwal? Anna Hazare with a very heavy heart said that - he never imagined that someone from his movement would hijack the movement and use it to get into power. The person who betrayed Anna Hazare, I do not want to comment anything on him," Rijiju said.
Earlier on Saturday, the Congress party announced organising nationwide protests on December 24 (Tuesday) against the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on BR Ambedkar. All party Members of Parliament (MPs) and Central Working Committee (CWC) members are also going to hold press conferences on December 22 (Sunday) and 23 (Monday) on Shah's comments.
The march will start with the garlanding of a statue of Ambedkar and will continue till a memorandum is submitted to respect District Magistrates (DM).
During the Parliament winter session, which concluded yesterday, INDIA bloc MPs took out multiple protests since Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks in Parliament on December 18, criticising Congress for making it a 'fashion' to take Ambedkar's name.
"If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar then they would have got heaven for seven lives," Shah had said.
Congress further lashed out at the BJP and Shah, demanding an apology and his resignation for his remarks, calling it an "insult" to Ambedkar.
During the protests in Parliament, the BJP took out parallel protests to Congress, in turn accusing the BJP of insulting the legacy of India's first Law Minister.
During the protests of both sides, a face-off occurred at the premises of Parliament, injuring two BJP MPs, Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput. Moreover, Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that he was pushed too.