NEW DELHI: BJP on Tuesday hit out at the Congress party and former Karnataka MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri for remarks suggesting that Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, was ready to convert to Islam before he eventually chose Buddhism. Several leaders from the BJP, including Union minister Kiren Rijiju hit out at the Congress leader, warning to refrain from “misleading and destroy the legacy of Babasaheb”.
Union minister of parliamentary and minority affairs, Kiren Rijiju, who recently announced that the government was coming up with a book to mark the 75 years of India adopting the Constitution, said Babasaheb BR Ambedkar’s views are well documented in his own books.
“Congress Leader Syed Azeempur’s statement that ‘Ambedkar almost became Muslim, but he eventually became a Buddhist’ is wrong. Babasaheb BR Ambedkar’s views are well documented in his own books. Please don’t mislead and destroy the legacy of Babasaheb,” Rijiju wrote on X.
Earlier in the day, the ex-Karnataka MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri stirred the pot after he claimed that Ambedkar had made extensive preparations for his conversion to Islam, before he eventually chose Buddhism. Khadri went on to suggest that if Ambedkar had embraced Islam, the entire Dalit community would have followed suit.
However, after the comments quickly went viral on social media, the Congress party distanced itself from Khadri’s statements. Meanwhile, the BJP which has sought to turn the tables on the accusations levelled by the opposition about “Constitution in danger,” seized on the ex-MLA’s remark.
BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya said that the former Congress MLA Syed Azeempeer Khadri’s is “bogus and fake”.
“Baba Saheb had nothing but contempt for Islam. He called Islam a closed corporation, a brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. His powerful words are well documented in his book Pakistan or the Partition of India. Opposition’s attempt to forge a social coalition between the Dalits and Muslims is a mirage and will never succeed,” he wrote on X along with a graphic of Ambedkar’s words.
Recently, the government announced that it is coming up with a a book to mark the 75 years of India adopting the Constitution and to expose all those who were against it.
“We are coming up with a book on the Constitution of India to celebrate the completion of 75 years. How was the Constitution formed, and who were the ones who opposed it. We are not saying anything. Prime Minister Pt Jawaharlal Nehru opposed it in the Sanvidhan Sabha, and this has been documented. We are not saying this,” said Rijiju.
“We will take all this to the public and Congress will regret all its steps. During the Lok Sabha election, they garnered some votes by spreading a fake narrative. Congress has already been exposed by the developments after the election, including Rahul Gandhi carrying a scribbling pad with a ‘red’ cover reading Constitution of India. We are carrying this message to the voters. Congress is continuing with the appeasement of minorities and dividing the deprived communities of the country,” he added.
The government also is to hold a special joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on November 26 to mark the 75th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution.
The NDA and INDIA blocs have intensified their verbal duel on Constitution as assembly election approach in few key states. Both the blocs have attempted present itself as a true “protector and follower” of the Constitution. The Congress-led INDIA coalition has accused the BJP-led alliance of “undermining” the Constitution and constitutional values, while the BJP and its allies have countered by targeting the Congress.