BENGALURU: Shah’s political career would not have been possible without the contributions of the Dalit icon.
“Had Dr Ambedkar not been born, I would not have had the privilege of becoming the chief minister today. I might have been herding cattle in my village,”
Siddaramaiah wrote in an open letter.
“You (
Amit Shah) too wouldn’t be the home minister today. Instead, you might have been running a scrap business in your hometown and PM Narendra Modi might still be selling tea at a railway station. Babasaheb’s vision is what elevated us all. Even the PM might admit this, and so should you.”
“Our senior leader, Mallikarjun Kharge ji wouldn’t have risen to lead the AICC. Instead, he might have been working in a factory in Kalaburagi. We owe every step of our progress and dignity to Babasaheb and the Constitution he gave us. For us, Ambedkar is not a ‘fashion’ but an eternal inspiration. As long as we breathe, as long as the sun and moon shine on this earth, Ambedkar's legacy will endure. The more you try to diminish his memory, the stronger it will rise to guide us forward,” Siddaramaiah said.
Siddaramaiah went on to attack
RSS, pointing out that it had opposed Ambedkar’s vision all along. “Your hatred for Ambedkar is not new to those who know history. Why did your ideological parent, RSS, reject the Constitution written by Babasaheb during his lifetime?” he said.