Amit Shah Fires Back at Kharge: 'Even If I Step Down, You'll Be in Opposition for 15 More Years'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused the Congress party of distorting his recent speech in the Rajya Sabha regarding his comments on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Shah hit back at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, stating that, given his background, Kharge should not have supported his party's "nefarious efforts" in the Ambedkar controversy.

Shah held a press conference to address the opposition's attacks following the uproar over his alleged insult of Dr. BR Ambedkar. When asked about Kharge's call for his resignation, Shah responded humorously, suggesting he would step down if it pleased the Congress president, but emphasized that it would not solve his party's problems. "Even if I step down, you'll still be in opposition for 15 more years."

He also warned that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might consider taking legal action against Congress leaders over the matter.

Accompanied by a group of ministers from the Modi-led government, including JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Piyush Goyal, and Ashwini Vaishnaw, Shah addressed the media, saying, "My remarks in the Rajya Sabha have been distorted to mislead the public. I come from a party that has always respected Baba Saheb Ambedkar. The Congress has a history of twisting our speeches. They even edited Prime Minister Modi's comments earlier."

Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge escalated the attack, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove Amit Shah from the Cabinet. "If the Prime Minister truly respects Babasaheb Ambedkar, he should drop Shah from the Cabinet. But instead of reprimanding Amit Shah, the Prime Minister is defending him. He has insulted a Dalit hero and shown disrespect for the Constitution," Kharge said.