Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the Narendra Modi-led government of merely invoking Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s name without making sincere efforts to realise his vision. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), were “enemies” of the Constitution’s chief architect.
Responding to Prime Minister Modi’s criticism of the Congress over its treatment of Ambedkar, Kharge cited a letter in which Ambedkar blamed communist leader S.A. Dange and Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar for his electoral defeat in 1952.
What kharge said to the media on Babasaheb’s Birth anniversary
Speaking to the media on Ambedkar’s 135th birth anniversary, Kharge underlined the urgency of a nationwide caste census and called for the implementation of reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in private educational institutions.
“The Modi government uses Ambedkar’s name but is unwilling to fulfill his aspirations. Their gestures are limited to lip service,” Kharge said.
Paying homage to Dr. Ambedkar at the Central Hall of Parliament on April 14, Kharge also criticized the government for altering the schedule of the floral tribute ceremony to align with the Prime Minister’s timetable. While Mr. Modi offered flowers at Ambedkar’s statue, Kharge noted he skipped a separate tribute event in the Central Hall.
Highlighting Ambedkar’s role in drafting the Constitution, Kharge said it ensured social, economic, and political justice for all citizens. “We have carried forward the cause of social justice, as seen in our recent AICC session in Ahmedabad,” he added.
He reiterated the Congress’s demand for the immediate implementation of Article 15(5), which was introduced in 2006 to extend reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs in private educational institutions.
Kharge also questioned the delay in conducting the 2021 Census, stressing that policy decisions continue to rely on outdated 2011 data. “We insist that a caste-based census be conducted along with the general Census to accurately assess the progress of various communities,” he said.
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Kharge on the 50% Reservation Limit
The Congress chief further called for a central law to institutionalize the SC/ST sub-plan with assured budgetary allocations, the removal of the 50% reservation cap, and the swift implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill with specific quotas for SC, ST, and OBC women.
Accusing the BJP-RSS of having historically opposed Ambedkar, Kharge said, “These people were against Babasaheb then and remain so even today. When he embraced Buddhism, they reacted with casteist slurs, saying he was from the Mahar community and that he had made the Buddha untouchable too.”
Kharge also recalled that Ambedkar’s political outfit, the Republican Party, had faced stiff opposition from Hindu nationalist groups such as the Hindu Mahasabha.
His remarks come in response to Prime Minister Modi’s recent accusation that the Congress had disrespected Ambedkar and distorted the Constitution for electoral gains.
“They [the BJP] constantly criticize the Congress, Nehru-ji, and myself, while refusing to articulate which of Ambedkar’s principles they have actually followed. They never provide an answer to that,” Kharge concluded.
