I.N.D.I.A bloc MPs demand Shah’s resignation for remarks on Ambedkar

BJP-led NDA parliamentarians also carry out march within Parliament premises, raising slogans and carrying placards demanding an apology from opposition Congress

New Delhi: Dressed in blue, a colour associated with BR Ambedkar, I.N.D.I.A bloc MPs, including the Congress’ Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, staged a protest on the Parliament premises on Thursday demanding Amit Shah’s resignation for his remarks related to the chief architect of the Constitution.

BJP-led NDA parliamentarians also carried out a march within Parliament premises, raising slogans and carrying placards demanding an apology from the opposition Congress for allegedly insulting Ambedkar. The protesting I.N.D.I.A bloc parliamentarian came face to face with the ruling coalition MPs in front of the Makar Dar of Parliament as the two sides engaged in loud sloganeering in a bid to outdo each other.

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The I.N.D.I.A bloc members first staged a protest at B R Ambedkar’s statue on Parliament premises, carrying posters that read ‘Main Bhi Ambedkar’, ‘Jai Bhim’ and ‘Amit Shah maafi maango’. They then took out a protest march on the Parliament premises. MPs of the Congress, DMK, RJD, SP, the Left and NCP(SP), among others, participated in the protest. Several opposition MPs, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and K Kanimozhi, were seen wearing blue.

Earlier, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha chaired a meeting of the Congress’ Lok Sabha MPs in the main committee room. The opposition on Wednesday seized on Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on B R Ambedkar to corner the government and demanded his resignation for what they called was an insult to the architect of the Constitution.

The attack from virtually all opposition parties, including the Congress, TMC, DMK, RJD, Left parties and Shiv Sena-UBT, led to the adjournment of both Houses of Parliament and prompted the BJP, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to come out in stout defence of Shah.