BJP has always insulted Dalits: Cong leader Ajoy Kumar
Jamshedpur (Jharkhand) (PTI): Amid ongoing protests over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar, senior Congress leader Ajoy Kumar alleged that the BJP, which "adheres to the principles of Manusmriti", has always "insulted" Dalits.
The AICC executive committee member, in a statement issued here on Sunday, said that the "true character of the BJP, which practices Manusmriti, was exposed" with Shah's comments in the Rajya Sabha.
"BJP leaders' mindset has always been anti-Dalit, which often gets reflected in their statements intentionally or unintentionally," Kumar alleged.
Shah's remark on Ambedkar was not only an 'insult to him but also to crores of Dalits of the country who consider him God", Kumar, the AICC in-charge of Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, claimed. The Congress leader alleged that the "BJP was against caste-based census because of its anti-Dalit approach".
"This was not the first time when the BJP's anti-Dalit character came to the fore... there are many past instances," Kumar, who lost to BJP's Purnima Das Sahu in Jamshedpur East seat in the recent Jharkhand assembly elections, claimed.
"It was Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru's Congress which has always given respect to Dalits," Kumar said.
He demanded that Shah apologise publicly to the nation.
During a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha last week, Shah had said, "Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar Bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have attained heaven for seven lifetimes)."
On Wednesday, Shah held a press conference in which he accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments in the Rajya Sabha.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha witnessed constant protests from treasury benches and opposition members over the alleged insult of Ambedkar until both the houses were adjourned sine die on Friday.
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CPI(M) rallies behind party member on his remarks against Rahul, Priyanka
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The ruling CPI(M) leaders on Monday rallied behind the party's politburo member A Vijayaraghavan in the raging political row over his controversial remarks on the Lok Sabha poll victories of Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra from Wayanad.
During a recent party event in Wayanad, Vijayaraghavan reportedly claimed that Rahul secured victory in the high-range segment twice with the support of communal forces and that extremist elements were present at Priyanka Gandhi's campaign rallies.
Prominent Marxist party leaders on Monday said that Vijayaraghavan didn't say anything wrong or against the party's policy and they would oppose minority communalism and majority communalism alike.
They also reiterated the charges raised by Vijayaraghavan against the Congress and accused the grand-old party of entering into an unholy nexus with communal outfits for electoral gains.
The CPI(M) leadership came out in support of the politburo member a day after the Congress and their United Democratic Front (UDF) ally, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), alleged that Vijayaraghavan was attempting to provoke majority communalism in society.
When his reaction was sought by the media, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan said what Vijayaraghavan had said was accurate and alleged that communal outfits like SDPI and Jamaat-e-islami were acting like front partners of the UDF.
He charged that their nexus was evident during the recent Palakkad Assembly bypoll.
The criticism against the Jamaat-e-islami was not against the Muslim community and the opposition against the RSS was not against the Hindus, he said, adding that the CPI(M) would not show any compromise in opposing both the minority and majority communalism.
Strongly supporting Vijayaraghavan, senior CPI(M) leader and ruling LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the leader had criticised the stand of the Congress party, which forges a nexus with communal forces during elections.
"Vijayaraghavan has not taken any communal stand. His remarks were also not meant to promote communalism. He has taken a stand that can safeguard society from communal forces," he said.
Senior leader and former minister P K Sreemathi also said Vijayaraghavan had not said anything other than the Marxist party's policy and stand.
Pointing out that communal and extremist forces are gaining strength in the state, she said they cannot be allowed to flourish in Kerala.
"Whoever it is... whether it is Hindu communalism or Muslim extremism, the CPI(M) will take a strong stand against it," she said.
She also accused the Congress of forging ties with communal forces during elections.
On Sunday, Congress leaders accused Vijayaraghavan of making comments against Rahul and Priyanka to "please" the Sangh Parivar, while the IUML alleged that he was attempting to provoke majority communalism in society.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal strongly criticised Vijayaraghavan, accusing him of using "communal" language that even the Sangh Parivar might hesitate to employ against Rahul. Venugopal also questioned whether the CPI(M) shared the same opinion.
Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan, echoed similar sentiments, charging the CPI(M) with pushing the same communal agenda propagated by the Sangh Parivar.
Harshly criticising Vijayaraghavan, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran accused the ruling CPI(M) of "surrendering to extreme communalism and providing support to the RSS in the state".
