Congress did injustice with Ambedkar, Sardar Patel: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the Nehru-Gandhi family did the greatest injustice to Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Vallabbhai Patel, two of the founding members of the Indian Constitution.

Addressing an election rally here, the prime minister said, "One family [Nehru-Gandhi] has done the greatest injustice to Babasaheb Ambedkar and Sardar Patel."

The nation is observing the 61st death anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, fondly called Baba Saheb Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution of India.

The prime minister said the injustice with Ambedkar was done when Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru enjoyed full influence over the Congress Party.

"When Pandit Nehru's influence on the Congress was all over, Congress ensured that Ambedkar found it tough to join the Constituent Assembly," Prime Minister Modi said.

He added Congress never thought of conferring the Bharat Ratna on Dr Ambedkar.

Dr Ambedkar was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1990, 34 years after his death. Similarly, Sardar Vallabbhai Patel was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1991, 41 years after his death.

Sardar Patel was the first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of India.

After India's Independence in 1947, Patel is said to have persuaded almost every princely state to accede to India. His commitment to national integration in the newly independent country was total and uncompromising, earning him the sobriquet 'Iron Man of India'.

Prime Minister Modi also sought people's support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections.

He said law and order had improved tremendously under the BJP rule in Gujarat.

"There are some words that the youth of Gujarat do not even know. One such word is curfew. Law and order situation has improved tremendously under the BJP governments over the last two decades," Prime Minister Modi said.

The BJP has been ruling Gujarat since 1995 after the departure of the Congress Government in 1995.

The prime minister also said the BJP had ended tanker raj in Gujarat

"The BJP in Gujarat has ended the 'Tanker Raj.' Tanker business was firmly in the hands of Congress leaders and their families," Prime Minister Modi said.

The Prime Minister has been campaigning extensively in Gujarat where the assembly elections are scheduled to be held on December 9 and 14. The counting of votes will be done on December 18.