Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said there is a pressing need to defend, protect and safeguard the ideals of B R Ambedkar as also his "finest" contribution - the Constitution of India.

"On the Mahaparinirvan Diwas of Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar, we express our heartfelt gratitude to the ardent champion of the Constitution and social justice," Kharge said in a post on X.