Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday called for statewide protests on December 23 against the BJP, accusing the party of insulting Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution. In a strongly worded statement shared on social media, Banerjee alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made “derogatory remarks” in Parliament about Ambedkar and other members of the Constitution drafting committee.

“Our Constitution maker Babasaheb Ambedkar’s insult is unacceptable! This casteist BJP government has repeatedly attacked our democracy,” the TMC chief said.

She claimed that BJP’s actions are exposing its “anti-Dalit” agenda. Terming the remarks as an attack on the “backbone of the Constitution” Banerjee called upon people across Bengal to join protests.

“In protest against the derogatory remarks against Babasaheb Ambedkar, and insult to our freedom fighters, protest rallies will be organised on December 23 from 2 PM to 3 PM in every block, municipality of the state, and in every ward of Kolkata,” she said in a Facebook post.