Nashik, January 26, 2026 – A controversy erupted during the Republic Day celebrations in Nashik, Maharashtra, after state minister Girish Mahajan was accused of omitting the name of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, from his Republic Day speech. The incident occurred during an official Republic Day program where Mahajan, the state's Water Resources Minister, was addressing the gathering after the ceremonial flag hoisting.

Madhvi Jadhav, a forest department employee present at the event, interrupted Mahajan's speech to question the omission. Jadhav asserted that Dr. Ambedkar's contribution to the Constitution and the nation deserved recognition on Republic Day. She further stated that while names of people not responsible for democracy and the Constitution were repeatedly mentioned, the name of the person who deserves the real honour of Republic Day was not taken during the speech.

The interruption caused a brief period of tension at the venue. Police intervened and took Jadhav into custody to restore order.

Following the incident, Mahajan addressed the media, expressing regret for the omission and clarifying that it was unintentional. He stated that he had no intention of deliberately omitting Dr. Ambedkar's name and that such incidents do not usually occur during his speeches. "It must have happened unintentionally. I had no such intention. I raised slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Vande Mataram' and 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai'. I did not intend to skip Dr Ambedkar's name. I always hail him in my speeches. Still, I apologise for the omission,” the minister said.

Jadhav, however, maintained her stand and refused to apologize for questioning the minister. "The minister made a mistake. I will not apologise. The minister should take responsibility. If you want to suspend me, do it. I will not allow Babasaheb's identity to be erased,” she asserted. She argued that as the architect of the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar's acknowledgment was a must on Republic Day. Jadhav also alleged that the act was an attempt to deny the greatness of a great personality and showed sheer casteism, and that the event was all scripted with no tribute, slogans, or even a mention of Dr. Ambedkar's memory.

The incident has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, who have accused the minister and the ruling party of disrespecting the architect of the Constitution. Varsha Gaikwad, Member of Parliament from Mumbai and city Congress chief, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the incident, alleging that it reflected the party's mindset.

The controversy highlights the importance of acknowledging Dr. Ambedkar's contributions to the nation, especially on occasions like Republic Day. It also underscores the sensitivity surrounding issues of social justice and representation in public discourse.