Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav slammed BSP chief Mayawati for downsizing the status of Dr BR Ambedkar by projecting him as a Dalit icon.
“Dr Ambedkar was a towering personality, who not only gave us the Constitution but fought for emancipation of underprivileged and poor sections of the society all his life. It was he who gave a voice to voiceless people and a place of honour in the political order of the country,” said the SP chief at a meeting of the Jain Samaj at the SP office in lucknowon Monday.
“Dr Ambedkar belongs to all —- he cannot be confined to a particular caste, creed or community. He has a global stature and people fighting for civil and political rights draw inspiration from his struggle. It is hence disgusting to see that such a tall leader, who was hailed by lohia and Jai Prakash Narayan, is being reduced as an icon of a particular caste.”’
Recalling Ambedkar’s contribution in shaping the modern Indian society, Yadav said: “He himself faced injustice and violation of civil rights which made him determined not only to fight the unjust social and political order but to stamp it out for good.”’
lauding the role of the Jain community in bringing prosperity and harmony in the society, the SP chief said: “I was educated in Jain College in Karhal (Mainpuri) and later was appointed as a teacher in the same college.” leaders of the Jain community later presented Mulayam Singh Yadav with a statue of Ram Manohar lohia.