New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday accused the Congress of not thinking about other Dalit leaders like Babu Jagjivan Ram, after a controversy erupted following the Congress’ demand for Bharat Ratna for Bahujan leader late Kanshi Ram.

Notably, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging that Kanshi Ram be conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati also urged the Centre not to delay honouring the Dalit icon with the country’s highest civilian award.

Speaking to reporters outside the Parliament, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, claimed that late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wanted to confer Bharat Ratna on Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed because of Emergency, due to which Babu Jagjivan Ram had resigned from the Congress.

Dubey added that the Congress should have demanded Bharat Ratna for its own leaders first. “Babu Jagjivan Ram who had made a lot of contributions in the country’s freedom struggle, they are not talking about him,” he said.

He said, “Why was Kanshi Ram not given Bharat Ratna during Congress’ own regime? He died in 2006 while the Congress was in power till 2014.”

“They (the Congress) kept running the government with his (Kanshi ram) support,” he claimed.

The BJP MP further added, “Why would Ram Vilas Paswan not be awarded the Bharat Ratna. If your criteria is this, all these people should be awarded the Bharat Ratna. They have made immense contribution, along with Kanshi Ram.”

Accusing the Congress, he said, “I think Rahul Gandhi should introspect himself. The Congress should be answerable why it didn’t award Bharat Ratna to Babu Jagjivan Ram despite him being such a great freedom fighter.”

BJP MP Dinesh Sharma said that the BJP thinks holistically about all its great leaders.

He said, “Kanshi Ram is such a personality who had taken the lead to form a government with the BJP. There are many schemes which were launched during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s regime to honour his (Kanshi Ram’s) legacy.”

Meanwhile, Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh urged that the demand of Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram should be accepted.

“LoP Rahul Gandhi has already demanded the Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram. The Central Government should react immediately on his demand and announce Bharat Ratna (for Kanshi Ram). I believe this will increase his (Kanshi Ram’s) respect,” he said.

Congress MP Jebi Mather added, “Our leaders have taken a stand. LoP Rahul Gandhi has very categorically taken a stand (on the matter). Let us see what the government is doing.”

–IANS

cg/rad