"Does BJP think Modi is greater than Ambedkar?" Atishi questions amid portrait row

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Delhi Assembly and Senior AAP leader Atishi on Tuesday accused the BJP of trying to sideline BR Ambedkar's legacy by replacing his portraits with those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in key government offices, including the Delhi Chief Minister's office and the Assembly.
She further questioned whether the BJP considered Modi to be "greater" than Ambedkar and slammed the suspension of AAP MLAs for raising slogans in Ambedkar's name, while BJP MLAs faced no action for chanting Modi's name.
Following her suspension from the Assembly, Atishi said, "BJP has replaced the portrait of Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar with that of PM Narendra Modi... Does the BJP think that PM Modi is greater than Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar? When AAP MLAs raised slogans in support of Dr. Ambedkar, they were suspended. But when BJP MLAs raised slogans of PM Modi, no action was taken. This means that the BJP hates Dr. Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar..."
Earlier, she told ANI, "The BJP has replaced Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's photo with that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Chief Minister's office in the Delhi Secretariat and Assembly, as well as in the offices of all ministers in the Delhi Secretariat. Do they believe that the Prime Minister is greater than Babasaheb Ambedkar and can take his place?"
Atishi claimed that where Ambedkar's portrait once hung, there is now a photo of Narendra Modi. "Similarly, in the Vidhan Sabha and various Delhi government offices, Ambedkar's photo has been replaced by Modi's photo," she said.
Questioning the BJP's intentions, she added, "I want to ask the BJP, is Narendra Modi's statue now greater than that of Dr Ambedkar? Have they developed so much arrogance that they believe Modi can replace Baba Saheb Ambedkar? This is why the AAP has launched this protest, and we will continue to protest until Baba Saheb Ambedkar is given the respect and place he rightfully deserves."
AAP MLA Mukesh Ahlawat also lashed out at the BJP, and said, "They (BJP) insulted Baba Saheb and Bhagat Singh ji. It has exposed their mentality. They are anti-Dalit and anti-Sikh. The (AAP) MLAs who are not suspended from the House will attend the proceedings when the CAG report is tabled."
Tensions escalated in the Delhi Assembly as Speaker Vijender Gupta suspended 12 AAP MLAs, including Leader of Opposition Atishi, and AAP MLA Gopal Rai amid uproar ahead of the tabling of the CAG report.
As soon as the Lieutenant Governor (LG) started his address, AAP MLAs began raising slogans, leading to chaos in the House. Before the LG's speech, AAP members also chanted "Jai Bhim" slogans. The MLAs were then suspended from the house.
They then took their protest outside the Assembly and raised slogans against the state government while carrying posters of BR Ambedkar. (ANI)