Congress accuses BJP of creating hurdles in way of Ambedkar statue at Gwalior HC complex

Bhopal, Jun 17 (PTI) Congress on Tuesday accused the RSS and BJP of creating obstacles in the way of the installation of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue on the premises of the Gwalior bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, and announced a campaign on the issue.

The ruling party dismissed the allegations, and said the Congress had always been "anti-Ambedkar" and owes the country an apology for "insulting" the iconic leader.

A proposal to install Ambedkar's statue at the high court complex here is being opposed by a section of lawyers.

Efforts were being made by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party to negate Ambedkar's contribution as the architect of the Indian Constitution, Congress leaders alleged at a press conference here.

They showed pictures of posters and hoardings recently put up in Gwalior city, and alleged that the BJP was trying to present B N Rau, a former civil servant and constitutional advisor to the Constituent Assembly, as the main architect of the country's founding document.

Congress general secretary and Madhya Pradesh in-charge Harish Chaudhary said it was unfortunate that a "controversy" was being created over the installation of Ambedkar's statue.

"As part of a well-planned conspiracy, questions are being raised about the contribution of the maker of the Constitution. Such controversies emanate from the Nagpur headquarters of the RSS," he alleged.

The Congress will present its stand on the issue during the 'Jan Jagran Abhiyan' (public awareness campaign) and protect Ambedkar's honour, he said.

State Congress chief Jitu Patwari claimed, "It is being propagated through posters in Gwalior that Babasaheb was not the maker of the Constitution." On June 23, party leaders and workers will go from door to door and talk to people on the issue, while on June 24 they will organise a community meal along with a discussion on the Constitution in the colonies of the poor, he said.

On June 25, senior Congress leaders will sit on a day-long fast in Gwalior, Patwari said.

Congress veteran and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh said B N Rau was only an advisor, not a member of the Constituent Assembly, and it was wrong to deny Ambedkar's contribution.

He accused the BJP of keeping silent on the issue and claimed it exposed its "double character".

Leader of Opposition in the assembly Umang Singhar alleged that the BJP and RSS were trying to change the country's history and promote class conflict. Ambedkar was being targeted because he belonged to the Dalit community, he claimed.

Responding to the allegations, state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said, ''History is witness that the Congress and Nehru family have always been against Ambedkar. This is the same family-oriented party which not only insulted Babasaheb during his lifetime, but also did injustice to his ideas after his death.

''Congress is doing drama to create class conflict in Madhya Pradesh for its selfish political motives," he claimed.

Congress leaders including the Nehru-Gandhi family should apologize to the people of the entire country for "insulting Ambedkar", said Sharma.

"BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are working to take forward Babasaheb's ideas by developing the places associated with his life as `Panch Teerth'," he added. PTI MAS KRK