Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders staged 'Sadbuddhi Dharna' (protests for good sense) in Indore on Thursday to express their strong opposition to Union Minister Amit Shah's recent comments against Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar.

'Aaj kal naya faishon aa gaya...'

During a Constitution debate in Rajya Sabha, Amit Shah reportedly made a controversial statement about Dr. Ambedkar. Taking a jibe at the opposition, he had said "Aak kal naya faishon aa gaya! Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar...Itna naam bhagwan ka lete toh swarg mil jata." (Calling Ambedkar name has become a faishon these days. It would be better to sing praises of God, atleast it will help people attain moksha).

The protest follows remarks made by Shah regarding the social reformer Dr. Ambedkar, which Congress leaders claimed undermined his contributions and disrespected his legacy.

The Congress demanded an immediate apology from Shah, alleging that the BJP-led government has been continuously attempting to change the Constitution and disrespecting the values set by Ambedkar.

The protest is an extension of the walkout staged by Congress MLAs on Wednesday during the third day of the winter session of the state assembly.

The walkout was in direct response to Shah’s controversial statements. The assembly session had also seen a ruckus when Singhar passed a remark against Shah, which was strongly objected to by BJP members, leading to the Speaker expunging the comment.

Congress leaders are determined to keep the pressure on, insisting that Shah must publicly apologize for his remarks, which they argue reflect a larger agenda to alter India's foundational principles. The protests are expected to continue as Congress seeks to draw attention to the issue across the state.