Union minister Kiren Rijiju during the constitution debate in the Lok Sabha on Saturday, calls out Congress for claiming that the minorities in the country are being denied their rights, adding that the grand old party did not give BR Ambedkar his due.
Intervening in the debate regarding 75 years on the adoption of the Constitution, the parliamentary affairs minister cautioned that "our words and actions should not diminish the image of the country in the world fora".
Speaking as first on the second day of the debate in the Lok Sabha, Rijiju takes an apparent jibe at the opposition, saying, that while India has given equal voting rights to all, some claim that minorities have no rights in the country.
In his over an-hour-long speech, Rijiju suggested that Congress should "apologise" to Ambedkar to "lessen its sins".
He alleged that "you" (apparently the Congress) made Ambedkar lose in the 1952 parliamentary polls.
Rijiju also questioned the delay in bestowing Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna and asserted that the chief architect of the Constitution was conferred with India's highest civilian honour after a government supported by the BJP came to power at the Centre.
Continuing his tirade, Rijiju cited Ambedkar as saying that while Jawaharlal Nehru delivered more than 2,000 speeches in 20 years, he never spoke about the welfare of Scheduled Castes "even once".
"Pandit Nehru is always for Muslims," the minister, said quoting Ambedkar.
Citing a document, Rijiju said while Ambedkar wanted reservation indefinitely till equality was achieved, Nehru advocated for it to be in place for 10 years.
A day after several opposition leaders claimed in the Lower House that the rights of minorities were shrinking, the Union minister said India not only provided legal protection to minorities, it also had a provision for affirmative action to protect their interests.
Rijiju said successive governments worked for the welfare of minorities. "The Congress has also done that, I am not undermining its role." The minister also cited a survey to claim that minorities, including Muslims, were facing discrimination and hate crimes in many nations.
The situation in neighbouring Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan where minorities are facing persecution is well-known, he said.
Groups seek refuge in India as they feel this country is safe for them, Rijiju added and wondered why such narratives on minorities' rights were being floated.
Rijiju's address in Lok Sabha
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