'BJP's attempt to divert attention from Ambedkar Row': Rahul Gandhi on Parliament fight

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Hitting out at the BJP and clarifying the party's stance on the tussle that took place at the Parliament complex on Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the chaos was engineered to distract from Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'fashion' remarks on BR Ambedkar that ignited a massive row between the opposition and the ruling party.


Keeping a copy of the Constitution in front of him while addressing a press conference, Mr Gandhi said the BJP has been trying to distract from the issues since the Parliament session began and the Congress has always said that the ruling party's thought process is "anti-constitutional and anti-Ambedkar" and that it wants to erase Ambedkar's memory and contribution.


"The Home Minister exposed this mindset (with his remarks). We called for an apology and a resignation, which did not happen. Today, they began a new distraction. Opposition MPs were heading to Parliament House from Ambdekar ji's statue and BJP MPs were standing near the stairs with sticks in their hands, refusing to let us go in," Mr Gandhi said in Hindi.


"The reality is that he has insulted Ambedkar ji. The Home Minister should apologise and resign," he added. 


Congress President  Mallikarjun Kharge, who also addressed the press conference, said the party condemns Mr Shah's remarks on Ambedkar and the mindset they portrayed.


"He refused to accept he had done something wrong. We asked for his resignation and, failing that, for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack him. We realised neither of these things was going to happen, so leaders of our party, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi protested and raised the issue. But the BJP is trying to divert the issue," Mr Kharge said. 


The Congress president claimed BJP MPs tried to prevent legislators from his party from entering Parliament and attacked them. He said he was also pushed and he sat on the ground after losing balance. 


"After doing this, they are alleging we pushed people and caused injuries. They were sitting and making fun of us. There were many woman MPs with us too... We will not tolerate this. The movement (against Mr Shah's remarks on Ambedkar) will become a national one," he asserted.