Trinamool Congress Moves Privilege Notice against Amit Shah over Remarks on BR Ambedkar

Amid the uproar over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Wednesday moved a privilege notice against him. The party accused Shah of undermining the prolific legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar and disrespecting Parliament’s dignity. Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also condemned Shah’s remarks as an insult to Ambedkar and the millions who look up to him as a source of guidance and inspiration.

Derek O'Brien, the leader of the TMC in the Rajya Sabha, filed the notice under Rule 187. This move follows an intense Opposition backlash after Shah’s controversial remarks during a debate marking 75 years of India’s Constitution.

Earlier today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sharply criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for making “derogatory” remarks about Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Banerjee condemned Shah’s comments as an insult to Ambedkar and millions of his followers. "The mask has fallen! As Parliament reflects on 75 glorious years of the Constitution, HM @AmitShah chose to TARNISH this occasion with DEROGATORY remarks against Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar," she wrote on X.

Banerjee accused the BJP of having a "casteist" and "anti-Dalit" mindset, warning that if the party had achieved its goal of 400 seats, it would have tried to erase Ambedkar’s contributions. "If this is how they behave after being reduced to 240 seats, imagine the damage they would’ve inflicted," she added. She further emphasized Ambedkar’s importance, stating, “Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar is the Father of the Constitution... This remark is not only an attack on him but on all members of the Drafting Committee, symbolizing India’s unity in diversity.”

In his speech, Shah criticized Opposition leaders for invoking Ambedkar's name too frequently, calling it a "fashion." The Union Home Minister said, “It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar... If they took God's name as many times, they would have earned a place in heaven."

These remarks ignited a firestorm. Opposition leaders, including those from Congress, accused Shah of disrespecting Ambedkar, a revered Dalit icon. In response, MPs from various opposition parties staged protests in Parliament today, holding up pictures of Ambedkar and demanding Shah's resignation.

Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, condemned Shah’s remarks and demanded an apology. "He has insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar and the Constitution. His ideology of Manusmriti and RSS makes it clear that he does not want to respect Baba Saheb Ambedkar's Constitution," Kharge said. He went on to add, “We condemn this, and we demand his resignation. All the parties demand his resignation. He should apologise to the country... If he keeps talking like this, the entire country will be under fire because people will not tolerate Babasaheb Ambedkar’s insult. He should resign from his position,” Kharge asserted.

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi expressed strong disapproval of Shah's comments. Gandhi, in a post on X, suggested that those who follow Manusmriti are fundamentally opposed to Ambedkar’s vision.

The BJP, on the other hand, defended Shah’s comments, accusing the Congress of selectively sharing a short video clip that misrepresented his full statement, which included criticism of the Congress for allegedly sidelining Ambedkar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading the BJP's counterattack, took to X to accuse Congress of trying to hide its past misdeeds. In a series of six tweets, Modi declared that the Congress and its "rotten ecosystem" were "gravely mistaken" if they thought their "malicious lies" could conceal their long-standing insults toward Ambedkar. He added, “The people of India have seen time and again how one Party, led by one dynasty, has indulged in every possible dirty trick to obliterate the legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and humiliate the SC/ST communities.” Modi also outlined a list of Congress's past "sins" against Ambedkar, stating, “The Congress got Ambedkar defeated in elections not once but twice, with Pandit Nehru campaigning against him and making his loss a prestige issue. They denied him a Bharat Ratna and a place for his portrait in Parliament’s Central Hall."​