December 18, 2024: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday strongly defended Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on Dr. BR Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha, labeling the opposition's protest as a deliberate attempt to distort history. In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Modi accused the Congress of playing "dirty tricks" to erase the legacy of the Dalit icon.

Reacting to the uproar caused by Shah's comments, Modi said, “If the Congress and its rotten ecosystem think their malicious lies can hide their misdeeds of several years, especially their insult towards Dr. Ambedkar, they are gravely mistaken!”

He went on to accuse Congress of attempting to diminish the contributions of Dr. Ambedkar, calling out the party’s historical treatment of the Dalit leader. “The people of India have seen time and again how one Party, led by one dynasty, has indulged in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and humiliate the SC/ST communities,” Modi stated.

Highlighting a series of grievances, the Prime Minister reminded the nation of the Congress party's actions against Ambedkar, including his defeat in elections, a personal campaign by Jawaharlal Nehru against Ambedkar, and the denial of the Bharat Ratna award to the visionary leader. Modi also pointed out the lack of recognition for Ambedkar's portrait in Parliament's Central Hall as further evidence of Congress's disregard for his legacy.

“The list of the Congress' sins towards Dr. Ambedkar includes: Getting him defeated in elections not once but twice, Pandit Nehru campaigning against him and making his loss a prestige issue, denying him a Bharat Ratna, denying his portrait a place of pride in Parliament’s Central Hall,” he wrote.

The Prime Minister further accused Congress of failing to act on behalf of the SC/ST communities during its long tenure in power. “Congress can try as they want but they can’t deny that the worst massacres against SC/ST communities have happened under their regimes. For years, they sat in power but did nothing substantive to empower the SC and ST communities,” Modi added.

The comments from the Prime Minister and Home Minister have stirred significant debate, with the opposition alleging that Shah’s remarks were part of a larger attempt to distort historical facts. The ongoing row has once again brought attention to the deep-rooted political tensions surrounding the legacy of Dr. BR Ambedkar in Indian politics.