Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, said that the BJP is the party truly following Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s vision. He strongly criticized the Congress party, accusing them of repeatedly disrespecting Ambedkar, who played a major role in shaping Indian democracy and uplifting the oppressed.
Speaking at a BJP event celebrating Ambedkar Jayanthi at Ambedkar Stadium in Karimnagar on Sunday, Sanjay Kumar accused Congress of shifting Ambedkar’s funeral from Delhi to Mumbai and then sending a bill for the airfare to his wife. He said this act was deeply shameful and showed Congress’s lack of respect for Ambedkar.
After cleaning a statue of Ambedkar as part of the ceremony, Sanjay Kumar explained that the purpose of such events is to teach future generations about Ambedkar’s life and achievements. He praised Ambedkar as a visionary who fought against untouchability and caste discrimination, and who represented the hopes and self-respect of the marginalized. Despite being born into poverty, Ambedkar worked hard, often studying on just one meal a day, and became a guiding force for Indian democracy.
Sanjay Kumar also highlighted the BJP government’s efforts to honor Ambedkar’s legacy. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has created Panch Tirthas, places dedicated to Ambedkar’s memory, and appointed Ram Nath Kovind, a Dalit, as President of India. The current cabinet includes many Dalits, OBCs, and women, showing the government’s commitment to social justice.
He also mentioned that the BJP gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), and is working to help 1.25 lakh Dalits become entrepreneurs each year. The government has issued stamps and currency notes in Ambedkar’s honor, placed his portraits in Parliament and the Supreme Court, and built statues in the Ministry of Law.
Furthermore, the BJP introduced the Nari Shakti Vandan Bill in 2023, which reserves 33% of seats for women, and also revoked Article 370, which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
In contrast, Sanjay Kumar accused the Congress party of constantly working against Ambedkar. He said that in 1951, Jawaharlal Nehru opposed Ambedkar’s Hindu Code Bill, leading to Ambedkar’s resignation as Law Minister. He also accused Congress of running candidates against Ambedkar in elections and working to block him from receiving proper recognition, such as the Bharat Ratna.
He concluded by saying that Congress’s final insult was sending a bill to Ambedkar’s wife for the cost of his funeral flight, a move he described as disgraceful.
