Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship on Saturday, aimed at supporting Dalit students pursuing higher education at universities worldwide. Under this scheme, the Delhi government will cover expenses for Dalit students after they secure admission to top global universities. The scholarship will also extend to Dalit government employees seeking educational opportunities.

While addressing a public gathering, Kejriwal emphasized the importance of equal access to education, saying, “I want to ensure no Dalit is deprived of higher education. With the Dr. Ambedkar Scholarship, any Dalit student aspiring to study at top universities worldwide will have their expenses covered by the Delhi government. This support will also be available to government employees from the Dalit community.” Kejriwal framed the announcement as a response to remarks by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which he described as disrespectful to Dr. BR Ambedkar.

Kejriwal stated, “This scholarship is our answer to BJP and Amit Shah, who disrespected Dr. Ambedkar.” His remarks referred to a recent statement by Shah in the Rajya Sabha, where he reportedly said, “If they [the opposition] had taken the name of God as many times as Ambedkar, they would have attained heaven for seven lives.” Shah’s comments have sparked significant political backlash.

In response, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati announced a nationwide protest scheduled for December 24, demanding that Shah retract his statement. In posts on X (formerly Twitter), Mayawati stated, “The Ambedkarite BSP has demanded Amit Shah take back his statement and apologize, which has not been done. If this demand is not met, the party will hold peaceful protests across the country on December 24.”

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi and other MPs from the INDIA alliance staged protests in the Parliament complex, demanding Shah’s apology and resignation for his remarks on Dr. Ambedkar. The political tensions continue to escalate over the controversy.

(With input from ANI)