BJP accuses Maha CM, ministers of 'insulting' Ambedkar

Opposition BJP in Maharashtra on Wednesday accused Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and ministers of the Congress and NCP of "insulting" B R Ambedkar by "not attending" the meeting held on Tuesday to discuss preparations for his December 6 death anniversary.

The meeting was held at Sahyadri guest house in Mumbai.

Every year, lakhs of people flock Chaityabhoomi in Dadar in central Mumbai, where Ambedkar was cremated in 1956, to pay tributes to the Dalit icon.

BJP leader Bhai Girkar on Wednesday claimed the CM and ministers from the Congress and NCP gave the meeting a miss.

"This is an insult to Dr Ambedkar as except Subhash Desai of the Shiv Sena, no other senior minister turned up for the meeting organised for planning the December 6 event," said Girkar, an MLC.

He alleged the Congress "never respected" Ambedkar even when he was alive.

"The Congress had not supported Ambedkar in an election that time. No wonder they still continue to insult him," he said.

The Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government also comprises the Congress and NCP.