NDA, INDIA bloc MPs protest in Parliament over Shah's Ambedkar remarks

Tensions escalated in Parliament on Thursday as MPs from the INDIA bloc and BJP-led NDA clashed during separate protest marches over controversial remarks made by Home Minister Amit Shah about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The two sides engaged in loud sloganeering near the Makar Dar, with the INDIA bloc demanding Shah's resignation, while the NDA called for an apology from the opposition for allegedly insulting Ambedkar.

Dressed in blue, a color associated with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, MPs from the INDIA bloc, including Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest on Parliament premises. They demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah over his controversial remarks regarding the chief architect of India’s Constitution.

Simultaneously, BJP-led NDA MPs also carried out a protest march within the Parliament grounds, raising slogans and displaying placards calling for an apology from the Congress for allegedly insulting Ambedkar. The two sides came face to face near the Makar Dar of Parliament, engaging in loud sloganeering to outdo each other.

The INDIA bloc MPs initially gathered near the statue of B.R. Ambedkar on Parliament premises, holding posters reading "Main Bhi Ambedkar," "Jai Bhim," and "Amit Shah maafi maango." They then took out a protest march, which saw participation from Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, Left parties, and NCP(SP), among others. Prominent opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and K Kanimozhi, were seen wearing blue in solidarity.

Earlier, Congress' Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge chaired a meeting of Lok Sabha MPs in the main committee room to strategize their response to Shah’s remarks. On Wednesday, opposition parties seized on Shah’s comments to corner the government, demanding his resignation, and accusing him of insulting Ambedkar.

The remarks, made by Shah on Tuesday evening, sparked a fierce backlash from opposition parties, including Congress, TMC, DMK, RJD, Left parties, and Shiv Sena-UBT. This resulted in the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament. In response, the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, came out in staunch defense of Shah.

TMC MP Derek O’Brien submitted a notice for a privilege motion against Shah in the Rajya Sabha. The controversy over Shah’s remarks also spilled onto the streets, with protests taking place in Delhi and other states like Maharashtra, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. In Delhi, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal led hundreds of supporters outside the BJP office, chanting slogans such as "Amit Shah maafi mango" and "Amit Shah sharm karo."

Key opposition leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, M.K. Stalin, Uddhav Thackeray, and Tejashwi Yadav, condemned Shah’s comments and demanded an apology.

With PTI inputs