Marking B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fierce attack on the Congress, accusing it of turning SCs, STs, and OBCs into “second-class citizens” and misusing the Constitution for vote bank politics.
Speaking in Hisar after flagging off the first commercial flight to Ayodhya and laying the foundation stone for a new terminal at Maharaja Agrasen Airport, PM Modi alleged that the Congress “crushed” Ambedkar’s Constitution whenever its power was threatened—pointing to the Emergency and the party’s opposition to the Uniform Civil Code as examples.
He said the Congress only paid lip service to Ambedkar’s ideals while denying basic needs like tap water and toilets to marginalized communities during its rule. “Water reached Congress leaders’ swimming pools, but not the homes of the poor,” he said, highlighting that his government provided tap water to 12 crore rural homes and built 11 crore toilets.
Calling the Congress the “biggest insult” to Ambedkar’s legacy, Modi accused it of sidelining him in his lifetime and trying to erase his memory after his death. In contrast, he said, the BJP developed key sites from Ambedkar’s life into ‘Panch Tirath’ and posthumously awarded him the Bharat Ratna.
He also took aim at the Congress’ “appeasement politics,” citing last-minute changes to Waqf laws in 2013 and challenging the party to appoint a Muslim as president if it truly cared for the community.
On development, Modi emphasized that under the BJP, India has gone from 74 to over 150 airports, with more flights and jobs coming. “My promise that even the person in hawai chappal will fly in an aeroplane is becoming reality,” he said.
Tying it all to Ambedkar’s vision, Modi said, “Our every policy is dedicated to the upliftment of the poor, Dalits, and backward classes. This is our true tribute to Babasaheb.”
