MUMBAI: Grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar and President of Bharip Bahujan MahaSangh (BBMS) Adv Prakash Ambedkar has criticized the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision making it compulsory to write the complete name of Dr B R Ambedkar. He has accused the BJP of playing politics with the decision.
“The BJP is in a haste to set the agenda for 2019 elections. Every effort of theirs is aimed at votes in 2019. They can go to any extent to do so,” said Adv Ambedkar while criticizing the UP government’s decision.
“I won’t be surprised if they extend this thread starting from the name and go on to declare that Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar was a devotee of Lord Rama before 2019. I fear they will eventually link this to Ram Temple at Ayodhya,” Ambedkar added while opposing the decision.
The UP government has said that instead of writing Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, his complete name ‘Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’ be used in every kind of official communication.
Anandraj, the other grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar too criticized the decision. “Nobody even cared to contact the family of Dr B R Ambedkar before making the decision,” he said.
Anandraj also added that Dr Ambedkar used to mention complete name of his father ‘Ramji’ only while writing in Marathi. Everywhere else he used to write his name as B R Ambedkar, Anandraj pointed out.
“What is the motive behind giving such an importance to Ramji in Dr Ambedkar’s name, is there a political motive?” he asked.