Ambedkar remarks by Amit Shah: Maha Vikas Aghadi protests at Vidhan Bhawan in Nagpur

Maha Vikas Aaghadi MLAs stage a protest outside the Vidhan Bhawan, in Nagpur.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Opposition members staged a protest at the Vidhan Bhawan steps in Maharashtra’s Nagpur on Thursday (December 19, 2024) over Union Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and said the country will not tolerate insult of the Constitution’s architect.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) leaders, wearing blue caps and stoles, took out a morcha from the Samvidhan Chowk in Nagpur. They reached steps of the Vidhan Bhawan complex raising the slogan “Babasaheb ka apman nahi sahega hindustan“.

The protesters included Leader of Opposition in the legislative council Ambadas Danve, Congress leaders Nana Patole, Nitin Raut, Vijay Wadettiwar, Bhai Jagtap, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislators Aaditya Thackeray, Sachin Ahir, Varun Sardesai, Bhaskar Jadhav and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) [NCP(SP)] legislator Rohit Pawar.

A massive political row erupted on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) as the Congress and other Opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Mr. Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders rallied to his defence and said he has exposed the Congress’ “anti-Ambedkar” stand. The Opposition members claimed Mr. Shah’s remarks were an insult to Ambedkar.

Amit Shah’s remark on Ambedkar: Both Houses adjourned for the day amid Opposition protests 

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had shared a video snippet on X from Mr. Shah’s speech in the Upper House of Parliament on Tuesday (December 17, 2024). The winter session of the Maharashtra legislature is currently under way in Nagpur.

The Opposition members had staged protests at the Vidhan Bhawan steps during the last three days also over various issues, including problems of farmers, violence in Parbhani last week and murder of a sarpanch in Beed district.