Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he accused the party of insulting Bharat Ratna BR Ambedkar. The leader of the opposition in the upper house said the premier should not mislead the public, as everyone knows the truth.

The remarks came in response to PM Modi’s accusations that Congress was spreading “votebank ka virus” by opposing the Waqf Amendment Act and insulting B R Ambedkar.

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Addressing the media, Kharge, while referring to the Prime Minister’s remarks, said, “These people say that Babasaheb Ambedkar was insulted. Who made Babasaheb Ambedkar a member of the Constituent Assembly? Which party had made him Chairman of the Drafting Committee? These people were enemies of Babasaheb. He is highly revered in the Congress party.”

He claimed that Ambedkar had written a letter to his friend on January 18, 1952, in which he stated that SA Dange and V D Savarkar had a hand in defeating him in the election.

Attacking the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Congress chief said, “They had burnt the copy of the Constitution at Ramlila Maidan when it was made. They said there is not a single word from Manuvadi ideals in this Constitution. Now, Modi and his friends are disciples of such people, and they talk about Ambedkar.”

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, he said, “Do not mislead the public. Everyone knows the truth.”

Kharge asserted that there are many articles in the Constitution for the protection of Dalits, and many laws have also been made, but they are not being followed under the ruling dispensation.

“On one hand, Narendra Modi calls himself a leader of the backward class, but when the backward class and Dalits are oppressed in the country, he does not say a word. This shows that Narendra Modi has failed to protect the Constitution,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister at a programme in Haryana’s Hisar said, “We must never forget how Congress treated Babasaheb Ambedkar. They repeatedly disrespected him and ensured his defeat in two elections. Their goal was to sideline him completely. Even after his passing away, they made efforts to erase his legacy.”

“Babasaheb stood for justice and equality, but Congress chose to divide the nation by spreading the virus of vote bank politics,” he said.