Congress always hated Ambedkar; included ‘shameful’ cartoon in NCERT book in 2012: Dharmendra Pradhan

Dharmendra Pradhan. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday (December 19, 2024) slammed the Congress, alleging that it has always hated B.R. Ambedkar and had even included a cartoon in an NCERT textbook showing Jawaharlal Nehru “whipping” Ambedkar. He claimed that the “crocodile tears” of the Congress over Ambedkar are just pretence.

Ambedkar row: High drama outside Parliament as BJP, Congress accuse each other of resorting to violence

“Suddenly the Congress has got a lot of respect for Babasaheb Ambedkar. These crocodile tears of the Congress for Babasaheb are just a pretence, there is a huge difference between their words and actions. The Congress party’s hatred and contempt for Babasaheb is well known,” Mr. Pradhan wrote in a post on X.

The Union Education Minister said that during the rule of the Congress-led UPA-II government, a ‘shameful’ cartoon was included in the NCERT textbook for Class XI in 2012 in which Pandit Nehru was shown “whipping” Babasaheb Ambedkar.

“After strong opposition from the BJP, then Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal apologised and announced to withdraw it.

“Obviously, such a shameful act cannot happen unknowingly, this cartoon filled with hatred towards Babasaheb was made public only after the approval of the royal family and the whole country knows who had control of the remote-run government at that time,” Mr. Pradhan said.

The Union Education Minister said, “These corrupt people who give themselves ‘Bharat Ratna’ have never given proper respect to Babasaheb and when the Honorable Prime Minister Modi Ji is giving a grand honour to Babasaheb Ambedkar Ji, the Congress party is unable to digest it. The Congress party, which makes political gains in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar, takes his name only out of compulsion, while the truth is that the entire Congress party, from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi, has always hated Babasaheb,” added Mr. Pradhan.

A massive political row erupted on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) as the Congress and other Opposition parties launched an all-out attack on Mr. Shah for his remarks on Ambedkar and demanded his sacking, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top BJP leaders rallied to his defence and said he has exposed Congress’ “anti-Ambedkar” stand.

Competing marches by the Opposition and NDA MPs over the Ambedkar issue led to shoving and jostling inside Parliament House premises on Thursday (December 19, 2024) with the BJP’s Pratap Sarangi getting injured in the melee amid allegations that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi pushed him.