New Delhi (India), December 19: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday responded to Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s recent post on X, where Pitroda appeared to question the role of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar in drafting India’s Constitution. Pitroda shared a report titled “Who Contributed More to the Constitution and Its Preamble? Nehru, NOT Ambedkar,” which was published earlier this year in January.
In his post, Rijiju suggested that Pitroda’s statement reflected the Congress Party’s position on Ambedkar’s contributions to the Constitution. Pitroda, however, disputed the claim, stating, “‘Babasaheb ka diya hua Samvidhan Dr. Ambedkar is the Father of the Indian Constitution’ is the biggest falsification of our country’s modern history.”
Rijiju, responding to Pitroda’s post, stated, “There should be no difference between words and actions. Congress has always insulted Bodhisattva Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Ji. The Congress Party has no moral right to speak about the legacy of Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.”
The Union Minister also condemned the ongoing opposition protests and accused Congress of plotting against Ambedkar’s legacy. Rijiju further questioned Congress’s respect for the former Minister of Law and Justice, emphasizing his own personal connection to Ambedkar’s legacy. “I am the first Buddhist after Ambedkar to hold the position of Union Law Minister,” he said. “PM Modi ensured that I sit in Ambedkar’s chair.”
Rijiju highlighted that he, along with fellow ministers Arjun Meghwal and L. Murugan, shared a similar background to Ambedkar. He also criticized Congress for allegedly manipulating a clip of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent speech about Ambedkar. “Congress must tell us what they have done for Baba Saheb Ambedkar. We are constructing many memorials in his memory,” Rijiju said. He condemned the opposition for editing Shah’s remarks out of context and making them go viral.
The Union Minister also accused Congress of disrespecting Ambedkar, recalling that Ambedkar had resigned from his position in the past due to their actions. “Congress insulted Ambedkar so much that he had to resign from his post. They defeated him in the 1952 elections under a conspiracy, and later in a by-election in Vidarbha,” Rijiju stated. “If Congress had not defeated him, Babasaheb would have been a part of Parliament even after 1952.”
Defending Amit Shah’s comments, Rijiju reiterated that the Home Minister’s speech demonstrated respect for Ambedkar’s contributions to the nation.