Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday escalated his criticism of Union Minister Amit Shah over remarks made about Dr B R Ambedkar in Parliament, stating that Shah would have been a “scrap dealer” had it not been for Ambedkar’s Constitution.
The CM’s remarks followed a controversial statement made by Shah during a debate on the Constitution in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Shah had said that the repeated references to Ambedkar had become a “fashion,” adding, “If they had taken God's name as often, they would have reached heaven.” Shah’s comments have sparked outrage, particularly among Congress leaders.
Siddaramaiah, addressing the issue in the Karnataka Assembly, described Shah’s words as “derogatory” and said that if Ambedkar had not written the Constitution, Shah would have remained in his village “selling scrap,” rather than serving as the country’s Home Minister.
“If there was no Constitution, Shah would have been a Gujari in his village,” the CM added.
Siddaramaiah further accused Shah of revealing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) true sentiments towards Ambedkar and his contributions.
He also criticised Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar for failing to take action against Shah.
“If Dhankhar was truly functioning under the Constitution, he should have immediately suspended Shah from the House,” the CM said.
The CM alleged that the BJP and its ideological affiliates, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), have long harboured resentment towards Ambedkar’s Constitution.
He noted that the RSS had opposed the Constitution from the outset, citing an editorial in its mouthpiece Organiser published shortly after Ambedkar’s Constitution was adopted in 1949.
Siddaramaiah referred to a passage in the editorial that mocked Ambedkar and questioned the “Indianness” of the Constitution.
“The RSS has never rejected the editorial that opposed Ambedkar’s Constitution or the views of Golwalkar and Savarkar,” Siddaramaiah claimed.
He added that the RSS had long promoted the Manusmriti, a text that codified caste-based discrimination, as a central tenet of Hindu culture.
Siddaramaiah also took a personal jibe, stating that without Ambedkar, neither he nor Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge would have been able to hold their current positions.
“If Ambedkar had not been there, I would have been grazing cattle in my village,” he said.
The CM reiterated his belief that Ambedkar’s legacy could not be diminished. “Ambedkar is not just an annoyance for BJP; he is an eternal memory. His influence will continue to rise, lighting the path of progress,” he asserted.
The controversy comes amidst ongoing protests in Karnataka, where Congress MLAs displayed portraits of Ambedkar in the assembly.
BJP members, in turn, accused Siddaramaiah of being anti-Hindu, further escalating tensions.
The House was adjourned twice due to the heated exchanges.
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