SRINAGAR: The Congress party has been accused of neglecting and marginalising the legacy of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, with the BJP asserting that deliberate efforts were made to downplay his contributions to Indian society and governance. Dr Ambedkar, a key architect of the Indian Constitution and a symbol of social justice, continues to inspire millions despite these attempts, BJP leaders claim.
The alleged neglect includes the refusal of a state plane to carry Dr Ambedkar’s mortal remains, denial of space for a memorial in Delhi, and the delayed award of the Bharat Ratna, which he only received in 1991 under the Janata Party government. His portrait was installed in Parliament’s Central Hall only in 1990, decades after similar honours were accorded to members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
The BJP has criticised Congress for prioritising the legacy of the Nehru-Gandhi family over other national icons. Memorials for leaders like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Dr Rajendra Prasad were also absent in Delhi until non-Congress governments took action. Comparisons were drawn to the extensive areas allocated to memorials of Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi in the national capital.
