Mumbai: Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has claimed that before the BJP, the Congress also tried to change the Constitution. He alleged that the Congress wanted to bring in presidential democracy in the country when Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister. He quoted former Maharashtra chief minister, late A.R. Antulay as saying so.
Mr Ambedkar has made this claim while answering the allegations made by Congress leader Sushil Kumar Shinde. Recently, Shinde alleged that the grandson of Dr Bheem Rao Ambedkar (Prakash) had murdered the constitution of India by tying hands with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslamin (AIMIM).
Replying to this, Mr Ambedkar gave the example of the statement made by Mr Antulay, who once said that they (Congress) did not want parliamentary democracy but presidential democracy. Mr Ambedkar claimed that Mr Antulay had taken permission from the then PM Indira Gandhi before making the comment.
Therefore, it was clear now who wanted to change the constitution alleged Mr Ambedkar. He further said that his memory was long and not short.
Mr Ambedkar said that MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Dalit Panther leader Namdev Dhasal and Raja Dhale had the same ideological thinking and were speaking on the same issues related to Dalits and Muslims.
They were capable enough of protecting themselves and did not need the police to protect them. Now Owaisi was speaking the same language as Mr Dhasal and Mr Dhale however they were dalits and hence, people considered them as Hindu whereas Owaisi was a Muslim which is why people used different parameters for him.
