Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday lashed out against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Babasaheb Ambedkar.

When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticising the Congress that it had always opposed Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chavan said, “The BJP should launch an ideological attack. However, they have a tendency to divide society through hateful statements”.

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Chavan went on to criticise the BJP for targeting the Muslim community and said that the BJP wants to bring back the caste system across the country.

He criticised BJP for failing to allocate ministerial portfolios even though a month has passed since the 2024 Maharashtra assembly election was declared. The present Mahayuti government merely wants to loot the state exchequer Chavan he alleged, adding that it is difficult for the Mahayuti parties to digest their landslide victory.

Meanwhile, BJP Yuva Morcha workers attacked and vandalised the Congress headquarters in Mumbai after which the police dispersed the mob by resorting to a baton charge. Interestingly, the BJP workers attacked the Congress headquarters in Mumbai, claiming that the Congress had insulted Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar.

The attack began after BJP Yuva Morcha workers reached the Congress office near the Mumbai Press Club on Thursday and threw stones at the portrait of Rahul Gandhi at the office. After that, they picked up the chairs at the Congress headquarters and threw them around. Later, a large contingent of the Mumbai police was deployed outside the Congress office in South Mumbai, near Azad Maidan ground.

“In an attempt to save our office, BJP workers tried to touch me,” a woman Congress office bearer said. “These people are now attacking those who save the Constitution. They are attacking those who respect the Constitution. Today they attacked Rahul Gandhi in Parliament. Now they have attacked the Mumbai office. If they have the courage, they should have come after warning us. Why did they come like thieves? The police knew about what would happen all along,” the Congress workers told media persons on Thursday.

However, Mahayuti leaders claimed that politics is going on in the name of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. “Amit Shah’s statement has been clarified. People are doing politics in the name of Babasaheb. Since Babasaheb was harassed by Congressmen, they do not deserve to take his name. Babasaheb was a lofty personality. Therefore, it is not right to do politics in his name. Everyone should respect the constitution,” Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Shirsat said.