|
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at Congress, alleging that the grand old party did not allow the architect of the Constitution, BR Ambedkar to win elections.
Addressing a public rally in Hyderabad, PM Modi also slammed the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) for 'insulting' BR Ambedkar by demanding a new Constitution. He also claimed that Congress had not put up Babasaheb's picture in Parliament. "BRS is anti-Dalit and Congress is just like them. The BRS insulted Baba Saheb Ambedkar by demanding a new Constitution. Congress has the same history. Congress didn't let Baba Saheb win elections two times. For decades together, the Congress ensured that Babasaheb's portrait was not put up in the old Parliament, Central Hall. Babasaheb was not given the Bharat Ratna for decades together because of the Congress," the PM said. After India became independent in 1947, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru formed the first Union Cabinet with 15 members picked from a wide range of communities with Ambedkar as the Union Law Minister. The first general elections were held between October 1951 and February 1952, with Ambedkar contesting from Bombay North Central. Ambedkar was supported by the Socialist Party led by Ashok Mehta but lost to the Congress's Narayan Sadoba Kajrolkar by 15,000 votes. This first general election were a dual-member constituency, where a general candidate and a Scheduled caste and/or Scheduled tribe candidates would contest from a seat, a practice prevalent in the country till 1961. Ambedkar subsequently contested a bypoll in 1954 from the Bhandara constituency, also in Maharashtra. He lost to the Congress again by about 8,500 votes. However, PM Modi also said the Centre would soon form a committee that would adopt all possible ways for empowering Madigas (a SC community) with regard to their demand of categorisation of Scheduled Castes. Notably, the PM was speaking at a rally organised here by the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS), a community organisation of Madigas, one of the biggest constituents of Scheduled Castes in Telugu states, which fights for the categorisation of SCs. PM Modi said that the BJP stood with Madiga community in every struggle since the last three decades. "We are committed to end this injustice at the earliest...It is our promise that we will soon constitute a committee that will adopt all possible ways for empowering you...The BJP made the laws, about the atrocities on SC and ST, stricter. We ensured that the poor got a bank account, gas connection, toilet, homes...In all these schemes, the people from SC, ST and OBC were given the most benefit," he added. The prime minister also alleged that the ruling party in Telangana and the Congress are alike in corruption "BRS govt allied with Delhi's AAP govt in corruption. They are involved in the Liquor Scam. They cooperate not in work but in corruption. BRS is anti-Dalit and the Congress is no less than that," he said. Coming down heavily on the BRS government in Telangana, he said during statehood agitation they promised to make a Dalit the Chief Minister, later K Chandrasekhar Rao "encroached" on the CM's chair after crushing the aspirations of every Dalit. "In these 10 years, the Telangana government, has only betrayed everyone including Madiga community. Congress put hurdles when Telangana was about to be formed but when, after so many sacrifices Telangana was formed, BRS leaders forgot you people and went and thanked Congress leaders. During agitation, you were promised that a Dalit person would be made the CM of Telangana but after the state's formation, KCR sat in the chair of CM by crushing the dreams of Dalit people," the PM said. Notably, Dalit welfare has been among the key planks of the political parties in Telangana, and they are repeatedly highlighting their schemes for the community in the run-up to the November 30 Assembly polls. PM also took a swipe at the previous governments of Telangana and undivided Andhra Pradesh, which failed to consider the rights of the Madiga community and said that he went to Hyderabad for "an atonement for past deeds" of those political leaders and parties. "People of the Madiga community and Krisha (Manda Krishna Madiga, an MRPS leader), I am not here to ask something from you; I am here for atonement for past deeds of political leaders and political parties since independence, which made promises to you and ditched you. I belong to the political arena so I apologise to you... You (people) have seen a lot of governments in the country. Our government's highest priority is to give preference to those who are deprived. BJP's mantra is Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas," PM Modi said. PM Modi also lauded Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) leader Manda Krishna Madiga and said that the leader can consider him a friend who will help the Madiga community in their struggle. "Krishna, you might have many friends who were with you to fight for the rights of the Magida community, but today, one more friend is added to your list," the PM said. To this, the MRPS leader stood up and thanked the PM showing his gratitude to him. Prior to PM Modi's speech, Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) leader Manda Krishna Madiga who shared the stage with the PM got emotional on the stage in Hyderabad. Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi, a community organisation of Madigas, is one of the biggest constituents of scheduled castes in Telugu states. Since 2013, PM Modi has closely interacted with Manda Krishna Madiga, whose organisation MRPS has been demanding internal reservations within the Scheduled Caste (SC) category. The MRPS was established in July 1994 in Edumudi village, Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of Manda Krishna Madiga and others, with the aim of implementing internal reservations. PM Modi, after the public meeting, took to X and said that the rally will remain 'etched' in his memory. "Thank you Hyderabad. Today's public meeting will remain etched in my memory. The affection from my Dalit sisters and brothers, my Madiga sisters and brothers is tremendous. I salute my brother Manda Krishna Madiga for his efforts towards empowering people," Modi said. (ANI)
|
