Amit Shah’s Ambedkar speech a big blunder that BJP bravado can’t hide

In the past couple of days or so, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has inadvertently been transformed into ‘Amiss Shah’. His reckless remarks made in Parliament on Tuesday (December 17) about the father of Indian Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar, have virtually weaponised Opposition rank and file though he denies having any ill will or showing any contempt against the main architect of India’s basic legal framework drafted for all times.

Yet, it’s a mystery how Shah could go so off the mark despite his having the veritable reputation of being the virtual ‘Chanakya’ from the ruling side. It is more so since he had a sheet of paper in his hand from which he seemed to be reading or referring to call out the habit of parroting so much the name of Ambedkar for some people (read Opposition) that had they invoked the name of God as much, they could well have ensured their place in paradise for as long as seven generations.

Watch | Has Ambedkar row put BJP-Amit Shah on the backfoot?

Revved up Opposition

As these remarks kicked off huge commotion within 24 hours of their being made in the Upper House of Parliament as well as outside, it turned out that Amit Shah was having a 34-page draft before him while replying to the two-day long discussion on the Constitution to mark the 75th anniversary of the signing of its first draft by members and president of Constituent Assembly Dr Rajendra Prasad.

What is even more intriguing is the fact that on the penultimate day of the storm created by Shah’s speech in the Rajya Sabha, he was alone holding the fort in New Delhi as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a visit to Rajasthan along with two other Central Ministers on the day he made his speech. And in the Lower House, as many as 20 BJP MPs, including two prominent Union Ministers – Nitin Gadkari and Jyotiraditya Scindia – gave the House a miss defying a party order issued for the presence of all Lok Sabha members to support ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill in the House.

It seems that either the absentees took a cue to stay away in the absence of the prime minister from the House on the day the bill was moved, or they may have had a clue to the storm that Amit Shah’s speech could unleash. The party has taken the members' absence so seriously as to undertake a probe to find out how this could happen. But in any case, since Tuesday, things have not only gone awry for the government and the BJP, but it has also revved up Opposition so much as to demand the dismissal of Amit Shah from the Cabinet, though Prime Minister Modi has turned it down.

Amit Shah under fire

Nonetheless, it is for the first time in the past 10 years of the BJP government at the Centre that removal of an important minister has not only been sought but is also being aggressively pursued by its proponents led by the Congress and supported by most other INDIA bloc parties that form the larger Opposition against the BJP and the NDA led by it.

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The demand for Shah’s resignation is so fierce that it has led to scuffle inside the premises of Parliament and protests in several state capitals where police had to use force like raining lathi blows and firing teargas shells.

A barricade put by Delhi police on Tuesday outside Akbar Road Congress headquarters was broken by Congressmen and effigies of Amit Shah were burnt. Similar reports were coming from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, December 19, as the Samajwadi Party held a protest march in Lucknow. Insiders from these parties say that protests will continue through the days to come so that the government does not get any respite and is forced to take note of the Opposition’s demand.

Backing Shah with full might

On the other hand, the BJP is going all out to back Amit Shah. Modi took to social media on Wednesday to berate the Congress and its demand for dismissal of Amit Shah. The next morning, the BJP MPs clashed with the Congress MPs in Parliament. Two BJP MPs were hurt and admitted to hospital. Later, both sides lodged police complaints in Delhi, alleging having been mauled and grievously injured by rivals.

So, the question is what is driving such bitter tussle between the two sides where physical fights are breaking out and pungent comments are being hurled at each other.

Obviously, the stakes, both at political and electoral levels, are too high to be missed by either side. Ambedkar is treated like a virtual messiah by Scheduled Castes and Tribes who together form about one-fourth of India’s total population while more than another one-third people belonging to other backward castes hold him at least in some esteem.

This has made the Opposition to cry foul and demand for Shah’s head. The BJP, on the other hand, appears to have decided to take on the Opposition with its full might.

No sign of face-off abating

Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held a press conference on Thursday (December 19), alleging the BJP MPs pushed Kharge and scared women MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi, at the main entrance of Parliament building through unprecedented use of “muscle power”.

Also read: Ambedkar remarks | BJP govt asked 'X' to delete Amit Shah's RS speech: Congress

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari remarked that intimidation of Kharge warranted action against BJP higher-ups under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Atrocities (Prevention) Act because Kharge comes from the Dalit fold. The point is that the confrontation triggered by Shah’s remarks against Ambedkar has so far not shown any signs of abating.

It seems to have robbed Amit Shah of taking Modi’s mantle in time or eventually as was expected and speculated upon in New Delhi’s political circles earlier. Now he appears to be looking for his survival in office and, thus, his grievance is how a few words could be culled out from his otherwise long speech lauding Ambedkar to launch a motivated attack on him. He appeared at a press conference on December 19 along with BJP president JP Nadda and another Union Minister to say this much.

But Shah has been Modi’s first and last point man and confidant. Thus, the row triggered by his remarks regarding Ambedkar is not about his future alone. The uncertainty being caused by this may well go on to shape or reshape the political landscape and administrative contours of the country as it has set off a virtual whirlwind which appears difficult to ebb anytime soon.