Roundtable meeting demands Amit Shah’s resignation over remarks

Vijayawada – Andhra Pradesh: On Monday, a roundtable meeting in Vijayawada condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s comments on Dr. B R Ambedkar, calling them an insult to democracy and demanding his resignation and an unconditional apology.

Roundtable meeting unites Dalit and tribal leaders

A roundtable meeting was held at Phule Ambedkar Bhavan in Vijayawada under the chairmanship of Andra Malyadri, State General Secretary of the Anti-caste Discrimination Struggle Society (KVPS). Leaders from Dalit, tribal, labour, youth, women’s organizations, and intellectuals gathered to condemn Amit Shah’s recent comments in the Rajya Sabha regarding Dr. B R Ambedkar.

Condemnation of insulting remarks

The meeting strongly criticized Amit Shah for his remarks, terming them disrespectful to the architect of the Indian Constitution and the principles of democracy and secularism. “This is not just an insult to Ambedkar but to the democracy of India and all its citizens,” the leaders asserted.

The groups labeled the comments as an exposure of “Manuwadi communalism” and accused the BJP of intolerance towards Ambedkar’s legacy.

They also criticized Prime Minister Modi for remaining silent on this issue and for backing his loyalist.

Demands for apology and resignation

The participating organizations passed a joint resolution with the following demands:

Immediate apology: Amit Shah must offer an unconditional apology to the nation.
Resignation: Shah should step down from his constitutionally held post of Union Home Minister.
Parliamentary action: Members of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh must address this issue in Parliament.
State response: Leaders from the ruling and opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh must respond to the insult against Ambedkar.

Call for awareness and unity

The leaders emphasized the need for public awareness against “Manuwadi communalism” and called for unity among all communities to counter divisive ideologies.

Key attendees included Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch leader V Srinivasa Rao, retired principal N Laxman Rao, Jaibheem Justice Chinta Venkateswarlu, and BSP leader V Bujji, among others. Representatives from DYFI, SFI, AIDWA, and CITU also voiced their support.

This united stand by Dalit, tribal, and public organizations underscores growing opposition to divisive rhetoric and demands for accountability from political leaders.