Shimla, Jan 17 (IANS): Stepping up the attack on the Congress, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Friday slammed the party for "ignoring" B. R. Ambedkar's legacy and always giving credit to one family.

"To achieve political agenda, the Congress and its 'toolkit gang' are working to divide society by distorting the statements of senior BJP leaders," Jitendra Singh told the media in the Himachal Pradesh capital.

"To give strength to their divisive, malicious politics, frustrated by the defeat in elections, the Congress leaders did not spare even the temple of democracy and made it the centre of their conspiracy. This act done by Rahul Gandhi and other leaders is condemnable. Baba Saheb has made a huge contribution in making the Constitution inclusive, in providing justice to the backward classes, the Dalits, the tribals and the deprived and strengthening the foundation of democracy of the country," he said.

Speaking at the state-level 'Samvidhan Gaurav Abhiyan' to celebrate 75 years of the Indian Constitution with discussions and speeches, the Union Minister, who was accompanying Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, state party President Rajiv Bindal, among others, said: "Every BJP worker respects the ideas and principles of Baba Saheb."

State chief Bindal said Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar made the Constitution and the Congress has made changes in it more than 100 times.

"The Congress party, which has violated the Constitution every day to save its throne and to gain power, is now engaged in the work of collecting votes by citing the Constitution," Bindal said.

He said since the country gained independence in 1947, the government has been "distorting" the Constitution based on caste, and religion and even changing its preamble, only for the greed of votes.

Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Thakur said: "If anyone has done the work of advocating the Dalits' case, it was Ambedkar-ji and the then Congress government at the Centre encouraged the Muslims by pushing Dalits behind."

"It was unfortunate that Nehru did not show commitment towards Hindus at that time," he said.

"Bhimrao Ambedkar-ji had opposed this too at that time and there are not just one but many examples where Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar opposed the policies of the Congress. Ambedkar-ji made the Constitution but the Congress always insulted both Ambedkar-ji and the Constitution," Thakur said.

--IANS

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