Remark on Ambedkar distorted: Khattar

A few days after a controversy erupted over his remark that "the Constitution was not written by any one person, there was a committee", Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar said here on Wednesday that Dr BR Ambedkar dedicated the Constitution to the country and was its creator.

Addressing the media, he said the BJP government had deep respect for the Constitution and was carrying out all its work in accordance with the Constitution.

His earlier statement had invited the wrath of the Congress, following which Khattar claimed that his statement had been distorted.

"The BJP's values are different from those of other political parties and other parties will not be able to understand its values," he remarked.

Answering a question about Metro rail, Khattar said 1,100 km of rail lines had been built in the country so far. "India ranks third in the world in terms of Metro rail coverage and will soon attain the second place," he said.

Meanwhile, Khattar's aide Raj Kumar Kapoor said the minister had announced to contribute about Rs 1 crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund. "The Union Minister had inherited a chunk of land measuring nearly 1.5 acres at his native village Baniyani. He has sold this land for about Rs 1 crore and decided to contribute the amount to the relief fund," he said.