'Insolence': Uddhav Thackeray lambasts Amit Shah over Ambedkar remark
Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Congress had made it a fashion to take Ambedkar's name.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday reacted to the row kicked up by union minister Amit Shah with his remark on Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, saying the BJP leader displayed “insolence”. He also questioned the silence of BJP's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners on the controversy.
"The manner in which Amit Shah spoke in the Parliament yesterday, he displayed insolence. He said that taking Ambedkar's name has become fashionable and that had they taken God's name as much they would have been in heaven. Who are you? Ambedkar ji is a personality not bound by any side," Thackeray was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
"How BJP is insulting someone who gave us the Constitution is not acceptable to us. Will BJP and RSS take action against Amit Shah? Or did they tell Amit to say this?... Is this acceptable to other parties that have extended support to Amit Shah, be it Chandrababu Naidu, Nitish Kumar or Ajit Pawar? Will Ramdas Athawale continue to be in their cabinet even after this? Will the PM take action against him or did the PM tell him to say that?" he added.
Also read: Ambedkar row: Mallikarjun Kharge takes ‘Manusmriti’ dig at Amit Shah, demands his resignation
Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Congress had made it a fashion to take Ambedkar's name. "If they had taken the name of God so many times instead of Ambedkar, they would have got heaven for seven lives," he said in the Rajya Sabha.
The remark prompted a protest by many INDIA bloc MPs in the parliament.
"Amit Shah's remarks on Dr Ambedkar show the party's (BJP) arrogance and have exposed its true face," Uddhav Thackeray said.
Thackeray demanded action against Amit Shah.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi should act against Amit Shah for his remarks on Dr Ambedkar," Thackeray said.
Meanwhile, union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju today accused the Congress of insulting BR Ambedkar by not giving him Bharat Ratna and defeating him twice in elections. He said the opposition was distorting the home minister's comments.
"... a small clip of Shah's Rajya Sabha speech was under circulation, distorting what he said. It was wrong. I condemn it," Rijiju told reporters.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
