New Delhi, Oct 6 (IANS): Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Minority Affairs, has said that Congress never wanted Baba Saheb Ambedkar's contributions to be recognised publicly. This is the reason why the Congress did not give him Bharat Ratna.

The Minister also said that Jawahar Lal Nehru and Congress made all possible efforts to diminish Baba Saheb's name and legacy. In a veiled attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rijiju said that it is disheartening to see Congress members, who once disrespected Baba Saheb and the Constitution, now hypocritically hold the Constitution in their hands.

Talking to IANS on Sunday, Rijiju said: "Baba Saheb Ambedkar was brought into the Cabinet at Mahatma Gandhi's insistence because he was the most educated and knowledgeable person in India, especially in law. The depth of his understanding in various fields was unmatched."

"Baba Saheb's stature was significantly higher than that of Nehru, and the Congress party, along with Nehru, made every effort to diminish Baba Saheb's name and legacy," he added.

The Union Minister further said that the Congress took steps to prevent Baba Saheb from entering Parliament. Even after he resigned as law minister, the attempts to insult and undermine him continued. Eventually, in 1956, he converted to Buddhism, as the political climate in Independent India was not conducive to his vision, Rijiju remarked.

"Nehru feared that if Baba Saheb were given the opportunity, his stature would only rise further in the country," Rijiju added.

That is why Baba Saheb was never awarded the Bharat Ratna by the Congress party, he said in reply to a question from IANS.

"They did not allow his contributions to be recognised publicly. I feel deeply saddened that those who were enemies of Baba Saheb now carry the Constitution he created. This hypocrisy is painful to witness," he said.

In response to another query, Rijiju explained: "When the interim government was formed in 1946, Baba Saheb Ambedkar was included as a minister. However, after India gained independence in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru initially did not include him in the Cabinet. Mahatma Gandhi had to remind Nehru that it wasn’t just his cabinet, but the country's cabinet, and Baba Saheb deserved a place in it. After that, Baba Saheb became the first law minister of India."

"Despite this, Nehru continued to disrespect Baba Saheb and denied him significant roles within the cabinet. Baba Saheb had extensive knowledge of law, economics, and social issues, which he could have contributed to the country, but Nehru did not give him any opportunities. Eventually, Baba Saheb resigned from his position," the Minister added.

"Moreover, whenever Baba Saheb contested elections, the Congress party made every effort to defeat him. Even after drafting the Constitution, he was not given a platform to serve the nation. It wasn't until 1990, long after his death, that he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, thanks to the support of the BJP under V.P. Singh's government," Rijiju asserted.

According to him, the Congress harboured a deep-seated animosity towards Baba Saheb, wanting to erase his name from history. In contrast, after becoming Chief Minister, Narendra Modi undertook a constitutional journey in Gujarat and later celebrated November 26 as Constitution Day as Prime Minister. The work PM Modi has done to honour Baba Saheb and protect the Constitution is unprecedented, he said.

Rijiju said: "It is disheartening to see Congress members, who once disrespected Baba Saheb and the Constitution, now hypocritically hold the Constitution in their hands. It pains me to think of how much this must hurt Baba Saheb's spirit, considering that these same people worked to prevent him from having a place in Parliament. This contradiction reflects poorly on our nation and its values."