Nehru-Gandhi family ensured that Babasaheb Ambedker loses elections: BJP

The Congress and BJP have entered into a war of words, vying to claim the legacy of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, just days before Rahul Gandhi's forthcoming visit to the icon's birthplace at Mhow here.

The BJP said in Indore on Tuesday that the Nehru-Gandhi family had made fun of Dr Ambedkar's contribution, only a day after Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh accused the RSS of indulging in doublespeak regarding the architect of Indian Constitution.

"Rahul Gandhi is going to visit the birthplace of Dr Ambedkar, but his family has made a mockery of his contribution," Madhya Pradesh BJP chief Nandkumar Singh Chauhan told reporters here.

"Due to Nehru-Gandhi family members, Dr Ambedkar couldn't win Lok Sabha elections twice. After he fought Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai and by-elections from Bhandara, Nehru-Gandhi family members ensured that he lost the elections and thus stopped him from entering the lower house of the Parliament," he said.

Claiming that the BJP champions the cause of Dalits, he said that the highest civilian award of Bharat Ratna went to Dr Ambedkar in 1990 due to the then V P Singh government, which was supported by the BJP.

He rejected Digvijay Singh's allegations that the RSS indulges in doublespeak about Dr Ambedkar's views or that the Sangh Parivar's views are against the interests of Dalits as well as tribals.

Chauhan claimed that the RSS believes in social equality, adding that Brahmins, Rajputs and Dalit volunteers not only stay together at RSS branches but also dine together.