Ambedkar blamed Dange, Savarkar for his 1952 polls defeat: Ramesh slams Nadda over RS speech claims

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday accused BJP chief J P Nadda of making "false" claims in the Rajya Sabha that the grand old party was responsible for B R Ambedkar's defeat in the 1952 Lok Sabha polls. The Congress leader cited a book to state that Ambedkar had blamed Communist leader SA Dange and VD Savarkar for his defeat.

In a letter to Nadda, Ramesh said the BJP chief had in his speech on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha on July 2, 2024 claimed that the Congress Party had ensured Ambedkar's defeat in the 1952 Lok Sabha elections.

"I am sending you extracts from a very recent book by Ashok Gopal which is not just the latest but easily the most comprehensive and meticulously researched biography of Dr Ambedkar," Ramesh said.


"It presents the reality of the 1952 elections as recorded by Dr Ambedkar himself. Dr Ambedkar had blamed Communist leaders S A Dange and Savarkar for his defeat," he added.

Ambedkar's letter as quoted by Ashok Gopal is available in the National Archives should any "distorian" in your party wants to get educated on facts, Ramesh said in his letter to Nadda.

The Congress leader also shared on X his letter to Nadda and the portions of the book by Gopal which cites a letter dated January 18, 1952, in which Ambedkar had said that the plot to defeat him had been hatched by Dange and Savarkar.

In his speech, Nadda had also pointed out that the Congress government compelled Ambedkar to resign and he was not allowed to speak in the House about his resignation.

Baba Saheb had to call a press conference the next day, he added.

Intervening on the comments, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said that he had a separate party.

Nadda had alleged that the Congress had always tried to undermine Baba Saheb's stature.

He had said that Ambedkar was given the Bharat Ratna award by the Janata Party government with the BJP's support.