Maharashtra assembly winter session: Congress displays Ambedkar’s photos in assembly, protesting Amit Shah's remarks

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In a symbolic move on Friday, Congress members in the Maharashtra assembly placed photographs of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar on their desks amid ongoing allegations that Union Home Minister Amit Shah insulted the Dalit icon. The move was seen as a direct response to Shah's comments, which Congress leaders have condemned as disrespectful towards Ambedkar's legacy.

The display of Ambedkar's images by Congress leaders such as Vijay Wadettiwar, Nitin Raut, and Nana Patole created a stir in the assembly. This led Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to urge Speaker Rahul Narwekar to permit the treasury benches to display similar photographs, emphasizing that Ambedkar belonged to all and should be revered equally by all members.

However, Speaker Narwekar rejected Pawar's request, stating that he had not allowed any member to place photographs on their desks. He instructed Congress leaders to remove the pictures, a directive they defied. As tensions rose, Shiv Sena (UBT) legislators, who had initially displayed Ambedkar's pictures, complied with the Speaker's instructions and removed them from their desks.

In response, members of the ruling Mahayuti, including BJP leaders, placed photographs of Ambedkar on their desks as well. This prompted the Speaker to adjourn the House for 10 minutes to de-escalate the situation. The commotion highlighted the deepening political divide over Shah's alleged comments on Ambedkar.

The Congress party has been vocal in its criticism of Shah's remarks, accusing him of mocking Ambedkar's legacy. Vijay Wadettiwar, a senior Congress leader, raised the issue of violence and vandalism, pointing to an incident where BJP Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers vandalised the Congress office in Mumbai. The workers claimed that Congress had long insulted Dr. Ambedkar. The attack led to the detention of 14 protesters by the police.

Further escalating the tensions, opposition parties, including the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP), staged a protest outside Vidhan Bhavan. The protestors voiced their anger over the attack on the Congress office and Shah's alleged derogatory remarks about Ambedkar. Bhai Jagtap, a Congress leader, questioned how the attack could occur with police present, calling for an investigation into both the incident and Shah's remarks.

As per PTI, the controversy surrounding Shah's comments escalated, with Congress demanding his resignation. Shah had reportedly dismissed the repeated mentions of Ambedkar as a "fashion," saying that if people invoked God's name as often, they would attain heaven.