Parliament LIVE | ‘Malicious lies, rotten ecosystem’: PM snaps at Cong over Ambedkar issue
On Tuesday, Amit Shah criticised the Congress over the 77 Constitution amendments it has made, while Kharge said the former had come only to praise Modi
An uproar was witnessed in both houses of Parliament on Wednesday (December 18) as Opposition MPs protested against the alleged insult of Dr BR Ambedkar by Union Minister Home Amit Shah in his speech on Constitution on Tuesday (December 17) and demanded an apology from him.
Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were first adjourned till 2 pm and then for the day shortly after reconvening at 2 pm.
Opposition MPs troop into well in LS
As soon as proceedings began in Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Congress members trooped into the well displaying posters of Ambedkar and sought an apology from Shah for his remarks during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Some members of INDIA bloc were also in the well of the House.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was present in the House along with his sibling Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
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Members of other Opposition parties, including from Trinamool Congress, stood at their seats in support of the Congress.
Meghwal defends Shah
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal countered the Congress, saying the party has always insulted Ambedkar and ensured his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.
The minister also claimed that the Congress has now been forced to take the name of Ambedkar though the party does not respect him.
Speaker Om Birla asked the members to allow the Question Hour to continue but as the din continued, the proceedings went on for less than two minutes before being adjourned till 2 pm.
Uproar in Rajya Sabha
Soon after the listed papers and reports were tabled in the Rajya Sabha and the House went ahead with the scheduled Zero Hour, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh rose and alleged that Shah insulted Ambedkar.
Soon, several other Congress members were on their feet and started raising slogans like "'Amebedkar ka apaman nai sahega Hindustan' (India will not tolerate Amebedkar's insult)".
Countering them, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said it was the Congress that insulted Ambedkar and did not honour him with a Bharat Ratna.
Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raised a poster of Ambedkar.
Following this, House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
The opposition MPs are demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology for his remarks on Tuesday which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar.
What Shah said
Speaking at the conclusion of the debate in the Rajya Sabha on 75 years of the Indian Constitution on Tuesday, Shah accused the Congress of making amendments to the Constitution during its rule to stay in power. He claimed that the BJP governments on the other hand made amendments that were meant to “empower citizens”.
The home minister said the Congress amended the Constitution 77 times during its 55 years as the ruling party, while the BJP made 22 amendments in the 16 years it has been in power. Taking a dig at Congress for using the name of Ambedkar, Shah said the former should also speak about its real sentiments about him, pointing out how he had to resign from the first Cabinet over differences with the then-Congress government over its policies.
“Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai — Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God’s name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven),” he said.
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Live Updates
- 18 Dec 2024 12:40 PM IST
Master distorians: Cong slams PM Modi, Shah over criticism of Nehru for 1st amendment
Hitting back at the BJP for accusing Jawaharlal Nehru of curbing freedom of speech through the Constitution's first amendment, the Congress Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as "master distorians" persistently attacking their "favourite target".
The opposition party asked whether it is too much to expect any adherence to truth and facts from the two leaders.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Articles 19(2), 15(4), and 31(b) were introduced into the Constitution of India from June 18, 1951, through the First Amendment. A Select Committee had examined the Bill'. In para 2 of his dissent note Syama Prasad Mookerjee had written: 'The addition of the word 'reasonable' before 'restrictions' in 19(2) is a very wholesome change." "It makes Article 19(2) justiciable and I do not wish to minimise the importance of this change in the protection of civil liberty in this country," he said.
Ramesh said the word "reasonable" had, in fact, been added by Nehru himself.
"Article 19(2) followed a letter written by Sardar Patel to Nehru on June 3, 1950. Article 15(4)followed the Supreme Court's striking down of reservations in public educational institutions through the Champakam Dorairajan case in then Madras. Article 31(b) was the result of the Supreme Court striking down zamindari abolition laws in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other states," he said.
"Both those master distorians-- the PM and the HM -- were silent on this background to the first Amendment as they attacked their favourite target," Ramesh said and asked if it is too much to expect any adherence to truth and facts from this duo.
Both Modi and Shah had attacked the Congress during their speeches in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively, for curbing freedom of speech through the first constitutional amendment.
- 18 Dec 2024 12:38 PM IST
Amit Shah should apologise publicly and in Parliament: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday (December 18) demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks in the Rajya Sabha which it claimed were an insult to BR Ambedkar.
The opposition party also demanded that Shah should apologise publicly and in Parliament for his remarks.
Speaking with reporters in Parliament premises, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We demand resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah for 'insulting' Ambedkar; he should apologise to the nation."
Addressing a press conference, Congress MP Neeraj Dangi said his party demands Shah's apology for the remarks.
"In Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah Ji said that taking the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar Ji has become a fashion. This is a direct insult to the Dalits of the country and Babasaheb," he said.
“Shah has shown the whole country what kind of thinking BJP leaders have,” he said.
"The deprived and exploited class, which they have insulted, this is the same class which will reduce them from 240 to 40," Dangi said.
"On behalf of the Congress party, I demand that Amit Shah ji should apologise publicly and in the House. Considering what he has said about Babasaheb Ambedkar, he has lost the right to hold a constitutional post," Dangi said.
He should resign from the post of Home Minister, he said.
The Congress on Tuesday (December 17) alleged that Shah's remarks in the Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Constitution show that the BJP and the RSS leaders have a "lot of hatred" for Ambedkar and demanded an apology from him.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had said those who believe in Manusmriti will definitely be at odds with Ambedkar.
Congress general secretary-in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh had shared a video snippet on X from Shah's speech in the upper house.
"Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar'. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)," Shah had said, taking a swipe at the opposition.
- 18 Dec 2024 11:54 AM IST
RS proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid opposition protest
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday after opposition MPs protested against Union Home Minister Amit Shah's alleged insult of B R Ambedkar.
Soon after the listed papers and reports were tabled and the House went ahead with the scheduled Zero Hour, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh rose and alleged Shah insulted Ambedkar.
Soon, several other Congress members were on their feet and started raising slogans like "'Amebedkar ka apaman nai sahega Hindustan' (India will not tolerate Amebedkar's insult)".
Countering them, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said it was the Congress that insulted Ambedkar and did not honour him with a Bharat Ratna.
Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge raised a poster of Ambedkar.
Following this, House Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm.
The opposition MPs are demanding Home Minister Amit Shah's apology for his remarks on Tuesday which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar.
- 18 Dec 2024 11:48 AM IST
LS proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid Cong uproar over Shah's Ambedkar remarks
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday as Congress members sought an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks which they claimed were an insult to B R Ambedkar.
As soon as the House met for the day, Congress members trooped into the Well displaying posters of Ambedkar and sought an apology from Shah for his remarks during a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Some members of INDIA bloc were also in the Well of the House.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was present in the House along with his sibling Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Members of other Opposition parties, including from Trinamool Congress, stood at their seats in support of the Congress.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal countered the Congress, saying the party has always insulted Ambedkar and ensured his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.
The minister also claimed that the Congress has now been forced to take the name of Ambedkar though the party does not respect him.
Speaker Om Birla asked the members to allow the Question Hour to continue but as the din continued, the proceedings went on for less than two minutes before being adjourned till 2 pm.
- 18 Dec 2024 11:40 AM IST
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RS Chairman disallows MPs to speak on Shah’s remarks
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallows Opposition MPs to speak on the issue but allows Parliamentary Affairs minister Kiren Rijiju "respond" to the "agitation" by Opposition MPs.
Rijiju accuses Congress of repeatedly insulting Ambedkar and ensuring his defeat in the 1952 Lok Sabha polls by fielding a candidate against him. Rijiju says Congress only uses Ambedkar for vote bank politics.
Amid protests by Opposition MPs, House adjourned till 2PM.
- 18 Dec 2024 11:04 AM IST
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