‘Congress is on the verge of collapse’: BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai

HUBBALLI: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday criticised the Congress party, claiming it is on the verge of collapse.

Amid controversy over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar, Bommai alleged that the Congress party humiliated Ambedkar, leading to his resignation from the national government led by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

#WATCH | Hubballi | Former Karnataka CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai says, “Congress is on the verge of collapsing…Their legacy has been exposed. Especially in the Parliament, regarding the constitution debate, misuse of the constitution and the ill-treatment to Babasaheb… pic.twitter.com/QT486lriQu

— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2024

“Congress is on the verge of collapsing… Their legacy has been exposed. Especially in Parliament, regarding the Constitution debate, misuse of the Constitution, and the ill-treatment of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Congress has been exposed. They are trying their best to escape their tarnished image. The greatest sin committed by any party against Ambedkar is by Congress. It is very well known… They humiliated him. That’s why he resigned from the national government led by Pandit Nehru. The time has come for Congress to rethink and be honest with the people. Otherwise, the people of this country will soon forget Congress,” Bommai told reporters.

Earlier today, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his “derogatory” remarks about Dr BR Ambedkar. Rai accused Shah of disrespecting Ambedkar by not using “Ji” or “Babasaheb” as honorifics, and claimed that Shah’s actions show opposition to the Constitution and a lack of regard for Dalits.

“I saw the Parliament proceedings. The way Amit Shah used derogatory words… He did not even mention Ambedkar as ‘ji’ anywhere. He didn’t even say ‘Babasaheb.’ He only said ‘Ambedkar-Ambedkar.’ This shows he has no respect for Ambedkar ji. Be it the RSS or BJP, they don’t want to follow the path shown by Ambedkar. He (Amit Shah) is against the Constitution and is anti-Dalit,” Rai told ANI.

Meanwhile, Congress MP KC Venugopal announced that party members, Congress Working Committee (CWC) members, and senior leaders would hold press conferences in their constituencies on December 22 and 23 to address Amit Shah’s remarks about Dr BR Ambedkar.

“On December 24, the party is planning a march to the collectorate to hand over a memorandum to the district collector, demanding Amit Shah’s resignation. This is an attack on the Constitution. Amit Shah’s speech goes against the spirit of the Constitution and democracy,” Venugopal told ANI.

Following Shah’s remarks, the Parliament witnessed parallel protests from both Treasury and Opposition benches on Thursday morning, leading to a scuffle. Two BJP MPs, Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput, reportedly sustained injuries.

Ruling BJP MPs protested in the Parliament premises against the Congress for “insulting” Babasaheb Ambedkar, while INDIA Bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, demanded Amit Shah’s resignation over his remarks.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also alleged that he was pushed by BJP MPs while attempting to enter Parliament during the protests, which escalated into a face-off between the two parties. (ANI)