Belagavi, Dec 19 (IANS): The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has criticised the move by the Congress to stage protests by holding photos of B.R. Ambedkar in the Legislative Assembly, saying the grand old party has no moral right to hold Babasaheb's photo.

Criticising the Congress, Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, said: "Congress members, who have consistently insulted B.R. Ambedkar, do not have the moral right to hold his photo."

Speaking to media representatives at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi on Thursday after the walkout, he said: "The Congress claims to support Dr. Ambedkar through posters. But what morality do they have? What right or eligibility do they have to hold his photo?”

He slammed the Congress for 'not even providing a small piece of land for B.R. Ambedkar's final rites when he passed away in Delhi'.

His mortal remains had to be brought to Maharashtra finally, Ashoka said.

"When former Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru passed away, as many acres of land as needed were allotted in Delhi. When Indira Gandhi passed away, they were given 10 to 20 acres... for Rajiv Gandhi, it was even 50 acres. But when Dr. Ambedkar passed away, Congress didn't even give six feet of land. These Congress leaders are to be blamed,” he said.

"Due to this denial, his final rites had to be conducted in Maharashtra, he reiterated. The Congress is responsible for this humiliation," Ashoka said.

"Indira Gandhi got a Bharat Ratna, Nehru got a Bharat Ratna, and Rajiv Gandhi too got a Bharat Ratna. But why didn’t you give it to Dr. Ambedkar? You hold his photo now, but why didn’t you honour him with a Bharat Ratna?" he questioned.

He asserted that Congress had no right to hold Dr Ambedkar's photo.

Ashoka said that it was a BJP-led government that awarded B.R. Ambedkar the Bharat Ratna and developed five key centres related to him.