“Congress never respected Ambedkar, nor did its leaders”: BJP’s N Ramchander Rao targets Rahul Gandhi

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], April 12 (ANI): Telangana BJP president N Ramchander Rao on Sunday hit out at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party, alleging that they have no genuine respect for BR Ambedkar or the Constitution.
He also asserted that Ambedkar was honoured with the Bharat Ratna during a non-Congress government, while accusing the Congress of historically insulting him.
Speaking to ANI, Rao said, "Mr Rahul Gandhi has said that some people in the country are not respecting Ambedkar's ideology and thinking. And some people are violating the Constitution. Rahul Gandhi should remember that it was the Congress Party that insulted Mr Ambedkar... The Congress Party never respected Ambedkar, nor did Congress leaders."
"Simply roaming around the country with the Constitution in hand does not mean that Mr Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party respects the Constitution and Mr Ambedkar. Ambedkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna during a non-Congress government," he said.
His remarks come after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, after flagging off the 'Run for Ambedkar & Run for Constitution - Marathon 2026' in New Delhi, alleged that those aligned with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bharatiya Janata Party ideologies seek to undermine BR Ambedkar and the Constitution.
He asserted that Ambedkar's core message centred on equality for all citizens.
"Ambedkar's main message was about the Constitution. Today, those with RSS and BJP ideologies want to destroy Ambedkar and the Constitution... They don't want everyone in India to be equal. Whatever they do, even folding hands in front of Ambedkar's statue is an attempt to destroy the Constitution," he said.
Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi also said the 'Run for Ambedkar & Run for Constitution - Marathon 2026', flagged off by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the national capital, is aimed at safeguarding the Constitution and carrying forward the vision of BR Ambedkar.
Speaking to ANI on the occasion, Channi said, "Rahul Gandhi has inaugurated this run on the occasion of Ambedkar ji's birth anniversary... This run is to save our Constitution, to carry forward Ambedkar ji's vision." (ANI)