NEW DELHI: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge strongly criticized the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in New Delhi, labeling them as “enemies of Babasaheb” both past and present.
The remarks came in response to Modi’s accusations that Congress was spreading “votebank ka virus” by opposing the Waqf Amendment Act and insulting B.R. Ambedkar‘s legacy.
During a press conference in the national capital, Kharge highlighted historical opposition faced by Ambedkar from Hindu organizations when he adopted Buddhism.
“These people were enemies of Babasaheb then and even now. Even when he was alive, they did not support him. When Baba Saheb adopted Buddhism, do you know what these people said? They said that he is from the Mahar community, an untouchable. They also said that now Buddha has been made an untouchable. Baba Saheb’s political party was the Republican Party, and Hindu Mahasabha was against him,” Kharge said.
Kharge addressed the women’s reservation bill, emphasizing Congress’s demand for specific reservations for SC, ST, and OBC women.
“When the women’s reservation bill was passed 2 years ago, the Congress party demanded that it be implemented immediately. Our demand was that SC, ST and OBC should be given reservations in it. This is our objective. We have been fighting for this for a long time. It was decided in the Ahmedabad convention to launch a campaign to take it forward,” he stated.
The Congress president challenged BJP’s claims about following Ambedkar’s ideology, questioning their actual contributions to his principles.
Earlier that day, while in Hisar, Haryana, to inaugurate the first direct commercial flight to Ayodhya, Prime Minister Modi accused Congress of opposing the Waqf Amendment Act purely for vote bank politics.
“Congress has become the destroyer of Constitutions. Dr BR Ambedkar wanted to bring in equality, but Congress spread the virus of vote bank politics. Babasaheb wanted every poor, every backward to be able to live with dignity and with their head held high, to have dreams and complete them,” Modi said.
The Prime Minister defended the recently passed Waqf Amendment Act, assuring protection for SC, ST, and OBC lands from Waqf encroachment.
“The loot of the poor will stop with this amended Waqf law. Under the new Waqf law, land or property belonging to any Adivasi cannot be touched by the Waqf Board…Poor Muslims and Pasmanda Muslims will get their rights. This is real social justice,” Modi stated.
Modi also recalled Congress’s historical opposition to Ambedkar’s election campaigns.
“We should not forget what Congress did to Babasaheb. Congress humiliated him while he was alive. They made him lose elections twice. Congress even tried to erase his memory. Congress also tried to destroy Baba Saheb’s ideas forever. Dr Ambedkar was the protector of the Constitution, but Congress has become the destroyer of the Constitution,” he said.
The exchange between the political leaders comes as India prepares to celebrate the 135th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on April 14, 2025.
Ambedkar, affectionately known as ‘Babasaheb,’ served as independent India’s first law and justice minister and is renowned as the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
Born into an impoverished Dalit Mahar family in Madhya Pradesh, Ambedkar dedicated his life to fighting for the equal rights of marginalized sections of society, earning recognition as a ‘Dalit Icon’ for his contributions to their rights.
