PM: CONG MORE INTERESTED IN ‘BABA BHOLE’ THAN AMBEDKAR

NEWDELHI:THE Congress is more interested in ‘Baba Bhole’ than DR BR Ambedkar these days, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, in a veiled jibe at Rahul Gandhi who has been visiting temples as part of his poll campaign in Gujarat.

The Congress vice president has visited over a dozen temples in the poll-bound state even as the critics accused the party of playing “soft Hindutva” card.

Dedicating to the nation Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, Modi said “a particular family” — an indirect reference to the Nehru-gandhi family — wanted to erase the contributions of Ambedkar who drafted India’s Constitution and was the first law minister of the country.

Attempts made to underplay Ambedkar’s efforts towards nation building proved futile as his ideas continue to inspire people, said Modi.

“Attempts to erase Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s role failed, he has been more influential in the minds of people, much more than the family for which all this was done,” said Modi.

He said the Congress had planned the centre in 1992 but it was only now during the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJ) tenure that work was completed.

“The party that went to seek votes in his name, would not even know this…in any case these days they are more interested in Baba Bhole (Lord Shiva) than Baba Ambedkar,” he said.

Following a controversy over his frequent visits to temples, Rahul Gandhi had said his family members were devotees of Lord Shiva.