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NEW DELHI: Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday tore into the Congress for not giving BR Ambedkar his due, as he questioned the opposition’s claims that minorities were being denied their rights.
Intervening in the debate in the Lok Sabha on 75 years of the adoption of the Constitution, the parliamentary affairs minister cautioned that “our words and actions should not diminish the image of the country in the world fora”.
Rijiju was the first speaker on the second day of the debate in the Lower House.
While India has given equal voting rights to all, some claim that minorities have no rights in the country, Rijiju said in an apparent jibe at the opposition.
In his over an hour-long speech, Rijiju suggested that the Congress should “apologise” to Ambedkar to “lessen its sins”.
He alleged that “you” (apparently the Congress) made Ambedkar lose in the 1952 parliamentary polls.
Rijiju also questioned the delay in bestowing Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna and asserted that the chief architect of the Constitution was conferred with India’s highest civilian honour after a government supported by the BJP came to power at the Centre.
Continuing his tirade, Rijiju cited Ambedkar as saying that while Jawaharlal Nehru delivered more than 2,000 speeches in 20 years, he never spoke about the welfare of Scheduled Castes “even once”.
“Pandit Nehru is always for Muslims,” the minister, said quoting Ambedkar.
Citing a document, Rijiju said while Ambedkar wanted reservation indefinitely till equality was achieved, Nehru advocated for it to be in place for 10 years.
A day after several opposition leaders claimed in the Lower House that the rights of minorities were shrinking, the Union minister said India not only provided legal protection to minorities, it also had a provision for affirmative action to protect their interests.
Rijiju said successive governments worked for the welfare of minorities. “The Congress has also done that, I am not undermining its role.”
The minister also cited a survey to claim that minorities, including Muslims, were facing discrimination and hate crimes in many nations.
The situation in neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan where minorities are facing persecution is well-known, he said.
Groups seek refuge in India as they feel this country is safe for them, Rijiju added and wondered why such narratives on minorities’ rights were being floated.
