The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticized the Congress party after Congress leader Udit Raj compared Rahul Gandhi to B.R. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution. Udit Raj's statement suggesting that Rahul Gandhi could become a "second Ambedkar" if he receives the support of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community has sparked a heated debate.

Udit Raj made the comparison while emphasizing the importance of OBCs supporting Rahul Gandhi, stating that history doesn't repeatedly offer opportunities for progress. He urged the OBC community to follow Rahul Gandhi's lead, suggesting that doing so would allow Gandhi to become their "second Ambedkar". He referenced Rahul Gandhi's remarks at the Bhagidari Nyay Sammelan in Delhi.

The BJP has reacted sharply to this comparison, with leaders accusing the Congress of insulting Ambedkar and attempting to diminish his legacy. BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the Congress for "insulting" B.R. Ambedkar. Amit Malviya, head of the BJP IT cell, accused Congress of plotting to diminish Ambedkar's legacy and said that Rahul Gandhi can "never become anything, except a historic failure". Malviya stated that the Congress party had repeatedly insulted Ambedkar. The BJP has also accused the Congress of plotting to diminish Ambedkar's legacy. Some BJP leaders suggested that Congress should find another Nehru or Indira Gandhi instead of trying to diminish Ambedkar's legacy.

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated that Rahul Gandhi insulted Ambedkar with his remarks about the Constitution's age, calling it a display of ignorance. BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said Gandhi always leaves the country shocked with his "abundance of knowledge", referring to Gandhi's claim that the Constitution is thousands of years old.

The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) also criticized the comparison, calling it a "crude joke". JD-U spokesperson Neeraj Kumar stated that Ambedkar was a visionary and crusader against social injustice and that the comparison to Rahul Gandhi was inappropriate.

Rahul Gandhi has acknowledged a past failure to adequately protect the OBC community and has pledged to rectify this with a caste census. He admitted that not conducting a caste census during the UPA government was a mistake he is determined to correct. Gandhi stated that he didn't deeply understand the OBC issues at that time.

This controversy comes amidst ongoing political tensions between the BJP and Congress, with accusations of disrespect towards Ambedkar being a recurring theme. In December 2024, the two parties clashed in Parliament over remarks made by Amit Shah regarding Ambedkar, leading to protests and police complaints.