Republican leader Prakash Ambedkar on Wednesday asked Raj Thackeray to “mind his own business” after the latter criticised Dalit leaders for keeping mum on defacing of a Buddha statue in Lucknow.
During Tuesday’s protest rally from Girgaum Chowpatty to Azad Maidan, the MNS chief had slammed Dalit leaders for being mum on the issue of defacing of a Buddha statue in Lucknow, while being so vocal about getting the Indu Mill land for Dr Ambedkar’s memorial.
Mr Thackeray’s statement has not gone down well with Republican leaders with Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Mr Ambedkar condemning his statement. He said that Mr Thackeray had shown disrespect to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar by opposing the Indu Mill land issue. Angry supporters of Ramdas Athawale also burnt Mr Thackeray’s effigy in Bandra.
In his reaction to Mr Thackeray’s speech, Mr Ambedkar said that the morcha on Tuesday was a political gimmick. “Hindu fundamentalists were the organisers of MNS’ morcha on Tuesday. There was no sympathy either for the police or the media. Mr Thackeray played politics keeping the 2014 elections in mind,” he said.
The dalit leader went on to add that Mr Thackeray wanted to create a rift between Dalits, Muslims and Buddhists. He said that the Assam issue, which MNS was protesting against, was a fight between the Bodos and the migrants. “MNS has never touched basic issues. They may not even understand these issues. All that Mr Thackeray was aiming to achieve was political mileage. It’s a political stunt,” he said.
“Raj should mind his own business. We know what he is. He should not make us speak about that, or we will not take much time to expose him,” Mr Ambedkar said. He added that Mr Thackeray’s reference to Indu mill land showed his lack of understanding about Dalits, and his hatred towards Dr Ambedkar’s teachings.
The Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader also spoke about home minister R.R. Patil, saying that the minister was a simple person, who should be given some other department like rural development, instead of home. “Home department needs a minister who is a task master,” he said.