BJP President N Ramchander Rao criticised the Congress party for what he termed as hypocrisy regarding Dr BR Ambedkar's legacy and the issue of women's reservations.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, on the occasion of Ambedkar's birth anniversary, Rao dismissed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's concerns that delimitation could create regional inequalities, stating that the process is constitutionally mandated and will not disadvantage southern states.
He clarified that delimitation, which determines the allocation of Lok Sabha seats based on population, was last undertaken in accordance with the 1971 census and has been frozen since 1976. The next delimitation is expected after the 2026 census, with implementation likely by the 2029 elections. Rao accused the Congress of misleading the public by conflating the separate processes of census and delimitation, and using these issues for political gain.
Rao launched a pointed attack on the Congress party, alleging a history of betrayal toward Dr Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution. He claimed that Congress obstructed Ambedkar's election efforts, denied him a seat in the Constituent Assembly (forcing him to rely on Muslim League support), and only reluctantly accepted him as the Drafting Committee Chairman. Rao also pointed out that the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, was not awarded to Ambedkar by a Congress government but by a non-Congress administration. He argued that Congress's recent public gestures honouring Ambedkar were inconsistent with its historical actions.
On the issue of women's reservation, Rao accused Congress of lacking genuine commitment to women's empowerment, citing Indira Gandhi's rise as a result of dynastic politics rather than systemic change.
He referenced the party's reversal of the Shah Bano verdict and delay in banning Triple Talaq as evidence of Congress's failure to protect women's rights. Recent internal conflicts involving women leaders were also mentioned to highlight a negative culture within the party. Rao urged the public not to be misled by misinformation about initiatives like the CAA and delimitation, calling on Congress leaders to adhere to the Constitution not just in words but in action.