Srinagar, Jan 19: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of repeatedly disrespecting and sidelining Dr B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
Thakur in a statement issued here cited an incident following Ambedkar’s demise in December 1956, alleging that the Congress government at the time displayed complete indifference by making his family bear the expense of transporting his body by air. “This blatant neglect revealed the Congress’s lack of respect for Ambedkar and his contributions to the nation,” he claimed.
The BJP spokesperson slammed the grand old party for what he described as its long history of hypocrisy toward Ambedkar. “The Congress party, which ignored Dr Ambedkar throughout his life, is now shedding crocodile tears and attempting to appropriate his legacy. They sidelined him, obstructed his reforms and failed to give him the recognition he deserved. Today, they have no moral right to celebrate Samvidhan Diwas or claim to uphold the Constitution, as they disrespected its very architect,” he said.
Thakur accused the Congress of undermining Ambedkar’s vision of social justice and equality. “The party has done little to uplift Dalits and other marginalised communities during its decades-long rule,” he said, adding, “Ambedkar fought tirelessly for the rights of the oppressed and envisioned a society based on equality and justice, but Congress prioritised its dynastic politics and ignored his ideals.”
He said the BJP honoured Dr Ambedkar’s legacy, citing initiatives like the development of Panch Teerth, which commemorates five significant sites associated with Ambedkar’s life and various welfare schemes aimed at empowering the marginalised. “BJP has taken concrete steps to fulfill Ambedkar’s dream of a just and inclusive society, unlike the Congress, which used his name merely for political optics,” he said.
