"Congress insulted BR Ambedkar throughout his life": Amit Shah

Shivpuri: Hitting out at Congress, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the grand old party insulted the chief architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar throughout his life.
The Union Home Minister was addressing a public gathering in Shivpuri, an Assembly constituency currently represented by incumbent BJP MLA Yashodhara Raje Scindia. Yashodra Raje is not contesting this election.
Shah said that today Bharatiya Janata Party has the maximum number of MPs and MLAs from the Scheduled Castes (SC) across the country.
Today they (Congress) roam around with Ambedkar ji's photo. If any one party has insulted Ambedkar ji throughout his life, it is the Congress party. As long as its government was in power, the party didn't let Bharat Ratna be conferred to him (Ambedkar). (Congress) always conspired to ensure that Ambedkar ji did not come to Parliament," Shah said.
He said that, whereas, the BJP has done many works dedicated to the socio-political reformer.
"BJP built Shiksha Bhoomi in Mau, a memorial in London...And when we got the opportunity, we made Ramnath Kovind, the son of a Dalit, as the President," the minister said, adding that his party has the maximum number of MPs and MLAs from the Scheduled Castes (SC) across the country.
Highlighting that the double-engine government transformed Madhya Pradesh from a 'Bimaru Rajya' to a 'Bemisal Rajya', Shah, during his address, urged the public to bring back the BJP to power in the poll-bound state.
"While casting your vote do not think that you are voting to elect an MLA, CM or bringing BJP to power. But while voting, keep in mind that the double-engine government transformed Madhya Pradesh from a 'Bimaru Rajya' to a 'Bemisal Rajya'...Your one vote will ensure whose government will be here in the next five years. On one side there is the Congress which kept Madhya Pradesh in darkness for many years, making it a 'Bimaru' state. On the other side is the BJP government, which has worked for the welfare of farmers, Dalits, backward classes, women, tribals and youth in the 18 years," Shah said.
Launching barbs at Kamal Nath led Congress government in the state, Shah said, "Whenever Congress ruled, it only worked to fill its houses. Whereas BJP worked for development."
"Today I have come to tell Kamal Nath that if he has even a little courage he should answer, when he left Madhya Pradesh in 2002, the budget here was only Rs 23 thousand crores. Today, the budget here has increased to Rs 3 lakh 14 thousand crore during the 18 years of BJP rule," Shah added further.
Madhya Pradesh is set to undergo polls in one phase on November 17. The counting of votes for the 230-member Assembly will take place on December 3.