A row has erupted over the Madhya Pradesh Assembly's decision to remove the portrait of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and replace it with that of BR Ambedkar, drawing a sharp reaction from Congress which accused the ruling BJP of disrespecting the "nation builder".
The Congress on Tuesday said it welcomes displaying the portrait of the Father of the Constitution in the House, but it could have been placed along with the photos of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru.
The first session of the 16th Madhya Pradesh assembly began in Bhopal on Monday.
MP assembly principal secretary AP Singh told PTI that the portrait of Nehru was replaced with one of Ambedkar during the last session only.
"The then Speaker Girish Gautam had directed to replace the portrait (of Nehru) in the last session in July as it was very old and getting worn out," he said.
Singh said Gautam had directed to renovate portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru as they were getting worn out.
"As Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary was being observed at that time, the speaker directed to put his portrait in place of Nehru and also ensured that Nehru's portrait was kept in a respectful manner in the Gandhi-Nehru section of the library.
"As it was a short duration session, Congress members might have not noticed this change (replacing the portrait)," he said.
In a post on 'X', the Congress said it welcomes the decision to put the portrait of Constitution framer Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar but strongly opposes the move to remove the portrait of the nation-builder Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
"If the BJP had honest intentions, it could have placed the photo of Nehru along with Gandhi and Ambedkar. But it is the culture of the BJP to disrespect the freedom fighters and the nation-builder and therefore, it has removed the photo of Nehru," the Madhya Pradesh Congress tweeted.
Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters that it is good that the photo of BR Ambedkar, the father of the Constitution, has been put up.
"You should talk to the assembly secretariat in this regard," he said when asked if Nehru's portrait will be put up again.
Welcoming the installation of Ambedkar's portrait, Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar's photo should be installed, but removing Nehru's portrait is wrong".
