Ranchi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Congress during a one-day workshop organized at the party’s state headquarters in Ranchi under the banner of Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan. State BJP president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi presided over the event attended by MPs, MLAs, state office-bearers, district presidents, and Scheduled Caste Morcha members.
In his presidential address, Babulal Marandi accused the Congress of repeatedly dishonouring Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and attempting to sideline the Dalit community from the national mainstream. “Congress feared that Ambedkar’s ideas would expose their anti-Dalit and anti-national stance,” he said. “The party conspired to prevent him from entering the Constituent Assembly and tried to defeat him in elections, not once but twice.”
Marandi also criticized Congress leaders for “roaming with a copy of the Constitution in their pockets” while having “repeatedly trampled upon it in the past.” He alleged that Congress leaders had always opposed reservation but today accuse the BJP of trying to scrap it. “The BJP is committed to honouring Ambedkar’s vision. From Bharat Ratna to the Panch Teerth, it is only BJP governments that have truly respected his legacy,” he added.
Dr. Ravindra Kumar Rai, BJP’s working president, said the Congress had acted as a vehicle of “international conspiracies” even before Independence. “Today’s Congress continues to manipulate Ambedkar’s legacy while ignoring his clear opposition to Article 370 and religion-based reservations,” he said. He added that the Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan aims to awaken society and protect Scheduled Castes from political exploitation.
Former Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri accused the Congress of insulting Ambedkar not just during his lifetime but even after his death. “They didn’t even allot land for a proper memorial in Delhi,” he said. “While top Congress leaders rushed to confer the Bharat Ratna upon themselves, they ignored Ambedkar’s contribution.” He further claimed that Ambedkar’s resignation letter was deliberately erased from official records to hide his dissent against the Congress.
Bauri stated that the BJP will go to the people with three main messages: Congress’s insult to Ambedkar, its repeated disrespect for the Constitution, and the recognition and respect Ambedkar received from BJP-led governments, especially under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
State General Secretary (Organisation) Karmveer Singh termed the campaign a “battle of ideas” and laid out the program roadmap. From April 13 to April 25, Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan will be conducted across all districts. On April 13, statues of Ambedkar will be cleaned and candles lit in his memory. On April 14, Ambedkar Jayanti will be celebrated with garlandings and distribution of food and fruits in slum areas. From April 15 to 25, seminars and contact drives will be held at the district level.