The Trinamool Congress took to the streets of Kolkata and West Bengal on Monday, organizing rallies to protest against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Dr. B R Ambedkar. These protests, which took place between 2 pm and 3 pm, saw ministers and party leaders in attendance, waving flags, posters and images of Ambedkar.
West Bengal Municipal Affairs Minister Firhad Hakim led the charge in Chetla, while senior TMC leader Kunal Ghosh rallied the crowds in Maniktala. State Minister Arup Roy and MLA Saokat Molla also joined in, leading protests in Howrah and Canning, South 24 Parganas, respectively. Hakim slammed Shah’s remarks, calling them an attack on Ambedkar and a reflection of the BJP’s “undemocratic” attitude.
Shah’s comment that saying Ambedkar’s name had become a fashion trend sparked outrage, with opposition leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, condemning his words as “casteist and anti-Dalit”. However, BJP chief whip Shankar Ghosh fired back, accusing the TMC of disrespecting the Constitution and its founders and attempting to stir up controversy.
