Mumbai: Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for the release from of Chhagan Bhujbal from jail and termed unethical his continued imprisonment even after Enforcement Directorate (ED) completing the investigation in the disproportionate assets case.
Political observers believe Mr Ambedkar’s remarks as an attempt to woo the sizeable other backward communities (OBCs) votes by supporting their leader Mr Bhujbal, whose continued detention has enraged his followers. Mr Ambedkar has been trying to build a third front in the state with the help of communists parties, Dalits, OBCs, scheduled tribes and Muslims.
Mr Ambedkar was speaking in Pune on Monday where he alleged that the government was purposely keeping Mr Bhujbal in jail. “ED has filed the case. The investigation is done. He has asked for bail. He should get that. If there is no investigation pending in the case, why is Mr Bhujbal being kept in the jail?” Mr Ambedkar also added that the guilty must be punished but that does not mean keeping people unnecessarily in jail.
Mr Bhujbal belongs to the Mali community which is an OBC.
Mr Ambedkar also said that he would address a gathering of the Dhangar community on May 20 in Pandharpur in Solapur. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had before coming to power in 2014 assured the Dhangar community of inclusion in the job reservation list. But the issue is still pending. “We are talking with Dhangar community leaders. We will come to our decision on May 20,” Mr Ambedkar said
