India will never forgive Lalu Prasad for insulting Ambedkar, says Chouhan

File photo of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan | Photo Credit: PTI

Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday (June 16, 2025) slammed RJD chief Lalu Prasad for ‘disrespecting’ Babasaheb Ambedkar.

On Sunday, the State Commission for Scheduled Castes in Bihar served a notice to Mr. Prasad for allegedly insulting Ambedkar after a portrait of the Dalit icon was placed near his feet at an event.

“Neither Bihar nor the nation will forgive Lalu Prasad and the RJD for disrespecting Babasaheb,” said Mr. Chouhan.

“It is so painful for me, what has happened to Lalu ji? Talking about the backward communities and Dalits is just a show for him. The man who was conferred the Bharat Ratna, gave Constitution and provision of reservations is insulted by Lalu ji,” the Minister said here.

Mr. Chouhan said that the way “Lalu Prasad insulted Babasaheb’s photo”, it proved the RJD leader’s “real intention”.

Other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders too hit out at Mr. Prasad.

In Bikaner, Union Minister of State, Law, Arjun Ram Meghwal demanded an immediate public apology from the RJD leader. “A worker brought a picture of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and tried to present it to Lalu Prasad but his arrogance was evident in his very posture. The matter became so serious, yet he did not apologise,” Mr. Meghwal said. “The people of India will not tolerate this insult. On one hand, he claims to be a leader of Dalits and backward classes, and advocate for social justice, but on the other hand, he insults Babasaheb.”

In Delhi, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav told the media, “The people of Bihar have not forgotten the regime of Lalu ji. During his rule, the maximum injustice was done to backwards and Dalits. He should apologise,” he said.

In Bihar, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha hit out at the RJD and the party burnt an effigy of Mr. Prasad in protest on Sunday.

Asked about BJP demanding an apology, Tejashwi Yadav, Mr. Prasad’s son and Leader of Opposition in Bihar, said on Monday, “Has Amit Shah apologised for what he said about Ambedkar in Parliament? Everyone knows that Lalu ji has not insulted Ambedkar.”

Published - June 16, 2025 11:22 pm IST