A view of Karnataka Legislative Assembly
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Assembly plunged into pandemonium on Monday, after the ruling Congress and Opposition BJP clashed on who defeated B R Ambedkar in the 1952 Lok Sabha elections, with Speaker U T Khader agreeing to allot time to discuss the topic on Friday.
IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge threw a challenge to the BJP, saying Ambedkar himself had written, in 1952, that Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar plotted his electoral defeat.
BJP’s Basanagouda Patil Yatnal accepted the challenge, saying he would prove that Congress insulted Ambedkar.
The provocation came when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, during his reply to the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address, said Karnataka became the second Indian state to enact a law mandating spending funds on SC/STs in 2013 during his first term. He said neither the BJP government in the Centre nor in any of the states had enacted the law.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition Arvind Bellad asked if Congress was asleep since 1947. BJP MLA Vedavyas Kamath asked, “Who defeated Ambedkar (in the election)?”
This provoked Priyank, who said Ambedkar had blamed Savarkar. “In 1952, Ambedkar wrote a letter to his friend, stating that it was Savarkar who caused his defeat in the election. It’s a handwritten note. If I show the letter, will you resign? This is my challenge,” he said.
This led to a din with Bellad and other BJP members charging that it was Jawaharlal Nehru who campaigned against Ambedkar.
“Who removed (Ambedkar) from the Cabinet? Who was it that didn’t provide space for his burial site? Congress didn’t even give him Bharat Ratna,” they said.
"Yatnal said he would accept Priyank’s challenge. “We’re ready. We will prove that Congress insulted Ambedkar. Priyank shouldn’t run away. Congress has no moral right to speak about Ambedkar,” he said. Speaker Khader said he would allot time on Friday afternoon to settle the matter.
“The challenge was thrown and it has been accepted. I’ll fix time this Friday afternoon and everyone should be present here,” he said.
Meanwhile, Priyank proceeded to read the relevant paragraph from Ambedkar’s letter, to which BJP members objected.
“If you allow him to speak on this, we should also be given time now,” Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka said.