Arvind Kejriwal's scholarship scheme for Dalit students amid Ambedkar row

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said he launched the Dr Ambedkar Samman Scholarship scheme in response to what he described as Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "disrespectful" statement on the Dalit icon in Parliament.

In Short

• AAP government to fund Dalit students' education abroad if party wins, says Kejriwal
• He slams Amit Shah's remarks on Ambedkar, says he was hurt
• He says children of government employees will be part of scholarship scheme

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced a scholarship scheme named after Dr BR Ambedkar aimed at Dalit students in the run-up to the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls amid a row over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on the Dalit icon in the Rajya Sabha.

Kejriwal said he launched the Dr Ambedkar Samman Scholarship scheme in response to what he described as Amit Shah's "disrespectful" statement on the father of the Constitution.

Addressing a rally where he announced the scheme, Kejriwal said that the Delhi government will fund the Dalit students who have secured admission to foreign universities if AAP wins the Assembly polls slated for February next year.

"The AAP will ensure that no Dalit student in Delhi has to abandon his studies at foreign universities due to a shortage of funds," he said.

He said that Ambedkar had to stop his education midway at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) as he had a shortage of funds. "He returned home and arranged funds, after which he went back to LSE and completed his education," he added.

The former Delhi Chief Minister accused Amit Shah of mocking Ambedkar and said he and crores of followers of the Dalit icon were hurt by the Union Home Minister's statement.

"No one would have imagined that in independent India, someone would mock Babasaheb Ambedkar in Parliament. In response to Amit Shah's disrespectful statement, I am making this announcement - Dr Ambedkar Samman Scholarship," he said.

Kejriwal also said that the children of government employees will also be included in the scholarship scheme.

WHAT IS THE AMBEDKAR ROW?

A huge row erupted on December 17 after Amit Shah, responding to the Constitution debate in the Rajya Sabha, said it had become a "fashion" for the Congress to take Ambedkar's name.

"Abhi ek fashion ho gaya hai - Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. Itna naam agar bhagwan ka lete to saat janmon tak swarg mil jata (It has become a fashion to say Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar, Ambedkar. If they had taken God's name so many times, they would have got a place in heaven)," Shah said in a swipe at the Congress.

The Congress lashed out at Amit Shah over his remarks and demanded his resignation. The BJP hit back and accused the grand old party of misleading the people over the Union Home Minister's comments on the Dalit icon.

Amit Shah reacted to the controversy and asserted that his statement was misrepresented and accused the Congress of distorting his remarks made in Parliament and adopting an anti-Ambedkar stance.