"I am one of those who saw aeroplane before a vehicle because in my state roads construction came so late and we used to walk for days"

"I am one of those who saw aeroplane before a vehicle because in my state roads construction came so late and we used to walk for days", says Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju during the debate in Lok Sabha on 75 years of Indian Constitution.  

He also said Congress should tender an apology for not allowing B R Ambedkar's election to Lok Sabha in 1952 polls. 

"Aapka paap kuchh toh kam ho jaega". 

Rijiju says, "...I feel proud that when Prime Minister Modi's tenure started, following the Constitution, the same spirit, he placed the mantra of his government in front of this country. And that mantra is Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas."

Rijiju also said it is absolutely improper to say that religious minorities are not safe in India.

The fact is whenever minorities Hindus, Shias, Ahmedias and Sikhs and others are under attack, they come to India. "Because it is so safe in India," he remarked.

Kiren Rijiju says, "...A narrative is being created. According to the survey of the Center for Policy Analysis in European Union, 48% people in European Union have been victims of discrimination.

Most of them are Muslims, believers of Islam. In France, many discrimination reports were presented. In that, people from the majority Muslim community have objected to those who wear head scarves, burqas and said that this discrimination is being done against them.

In Spain, the report of internal hate crimes against Muslims is so high, this has also been mentioned in the report...

You know the condition of Pakistan, what happens in Bangladesh, you people know what has happened to Sikhs, Hindus, Christians in Afghanistan, whether it is a problem in Tibet or Myanmar, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, Pakistan or Afghanistan, if there is oppression against the minority or some problem arises, the first country where they come to seek protection is India.

Then why is it said that there is no protection for minorities in this country...I am saying that such things should not be said which harm the image of the country, I am not saying this for any one party. I am saying this for the country."

Paying tributes to B R Ambedkar, Rijiju said - everyone in Parliament including those in Congress and others should read the 'resignation letter' of Ambedkar written to Jawaharlal Nehru when he quit the Ministry.

(from social media -- the content/extract of the letter is shared here ---

Dr Ambedkar Resignation letter to Cabinet and its significance for Backward classes and Scheduled castes.

Everyone was surprised when Dr. Ambedkar resigned from Nehru's cabinet. 

In his statement, apart from the non-passing of the Hindu Code bill, he mentioned that he was dissatisfied with the treatment accorded to Backward classes and the scheduled castes. His words are extracted below for everyone’s benefit:

“I will now refer to another matter that had made me dissatisfied with the Government.  It relates to the treatment accorded to the Backward Classes and the Scheduled Castes.  I was very sorry that the Constitution did not embody any safeguards for the Backward Classes. 

It was left to be done by the Executive Government on the basis of the recommendations of a Commission to be appointed by the President.  More than a year has elapsed since we passed the Constitution.  But the Government has not even thought of appointing the Commission. 

The year 1946 during which I was out of office, was a year of great anxiety to me, and to the leading members of the Scheduled Castes.  The British had resiled from the commitments they had made in the matter of constitutional safeguards for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Castes had no knowing as to what the Constituent Assembly would do in that behalf.  In this period of anxiety, I had prepared a report* on the condition of the Scheduled Castes for submission to the United Nations.  But I did not submit it.

I felt that it would be better to wait until the Constituent Assembly and the future Parliament was given a chance to deal with the matter.  The provisions made in the Constitution for safeguarding the position of the Scheduled Castes were not to my satisfaction.  However, I accepted them for what they were worth, hoping that Government will show some determination to make them effective.  

What is the Scheduled Castes today?  So far as I see, it is the same as before.  The same old tyranny, the same old oppression, the same old discrimination which existed before, exists now, and perhaps in a worst form. I can refer to hundreds of cases where people from the Scheduled Casts round about Delhi and adjoining places have come to me with their tales of woes against the Caste Hindus and against the Police who have refused to register their complaints and render them any help.

I have been wondering whether there is any other parallel in the world to the condition of Scheduled Castes in India.  I cannot find any.  And yet why is  no relief granted to the Scheduled Castes?  Compare the concern the Government shows over safeguarding the Muslims. 

The Prime Minister’s (Nehru's) whole time and attention is devoted for the protection of the Muslims. I yield to none, not even to the Prime Minister, in my desire to give the Muslims of India the utmost protection wherever and whenever they stand in need of it.  But what I want to know is, are the Muslims the only people who need protection? 

Are the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Indian Christians not in need of protection?  What concern has he shown for these communities?  So far as I know, none and yet these are the communities which need far more care and attention than the Muslims.

I could not contain within myself the indignation I have felt over the neglect of the Scheduled Castes by the Government and on one occasion, I gave vent to my feelings at a public meeting of the Scheduled Castes. 

A question was asked, from the Hon’ble the Home Minister, whether my charge that the Scheduled Castes had not benefited by the rule which guaranteed to them 12 ½ per cent representation was true.  In answer to the question the Hon’ble Home Minister was pleased to say that my charge was baseless.  Subsequently for some reason – it may be for satisfying  the qualms of his conscience –

he, I am informed, sent round a circular to the various Departments of the Government of India asking them to report how many Scheduled Caste candidates had been recently recruited in Government service.  I am informed that most Departments in reply said “NIL’ or nearly nil. 

If my information is correct, I need make no commentary on the answer given by the Hon’ble the Home Minister.

From my yearly childhood I have dedicated myself to the upliftment of the Scheduled Castes among whom I was born.  It is not that there were no temptation in my way.  If I had considered my own interest I could have been anything I wanted to be and if I had joined the Congress would have reached to the highest place in that organization. 

But as I said, I had dedicated myself to the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and I have followed the adage that it is better to be narrow-minded if you wish to be enthusiastic about a cause which you wish to accomplish.  You can therefore, well imagine what pain it has caused me to see that the cause of the Scheduled Castes has been relegated to the limbo of nothing."

On the violence on Hindus in Bangladesh, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said in Siliguri:

“...Some crazy people are trying to destroy their country (Bangladesh) by joining hands with foreign powers... Where the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Prime Minister have fled the country, where the Parliament House and the Prime Minister's house have been looted, its future is at stake.”