Mumbai: In what might put the leadership of the ruling Maha Yuti (NDA) and opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (I.N.D.I.A.) into a difficult situation, Prakash Ambedkar has invited them to celebrate the Mandal Vijay Divas on August 7.
The founder of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), Ambedkar (70), the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution of India, is currently on a state-wide ‘aarakshan bachao yatra’.
Ambedkar is a two-time MP from Akola from Maharashtra and an ex-Rajya Sabha MP.
The July 25-August 7 'Save Reservation' march is generating a good response and is an important development ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls.
The yatra that started with a call of 'Jai Phule-Jai Shahu-Jai Bhim' aims to protect the reservation of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
Ambedkar launched the march on July 25 from Chaityabhoomi in Mumbai and then proceeded for Phule Wada in Pune and then to Kolhapur on July 26.
These places have their own significance.
In Chaityabhoomi, the last rites of Dr Ambedkar were performed.
Phule Wada is closely associated with the social reform movement of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule.
Meanwhile, Kolhapur is significant since it is from here Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, a descendent of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, undertook social reform movement and one of the earliest concepts of reservation. Shahu Maharaj was closely associated with Dr Ambedkar.
It was on July 26, 1902, Shahu Maharaj gave a historic order to reserve 50 per cent government jobs for lower castes in Kolhapur.
On August 7, in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad), Ambedkar is set to conclude his Yatra with the Mandal Vijay Divas.
“Thirty-four years ago, on August 7, Indian politics and society changed. In a historic move, then Prime Minister VP Singh decided to implement the recommendations of the Mandal Commission, and open up reservations for OBCs in government jobs besides SCs and STs,” Ambedkar said.
“This came in the wake of the gradual political rise of the backward communities. VBA has decided to conclude the Yatra on August 7 and celebrate the day as Mandal Vijay Diwas every year,” he said.
For this year’s celebrations, Ambedkar has extended an invitation to the leadership of Maha Yuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi.
From the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the VBA chief has invited NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, Congress Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat, NCP (SP)’s Shirur MP Dr Amol Kolhe while from Maha Yuti he has invited state Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde and and BJP MLC Pankaja Munde.
Ambedkar has also commented on the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the power of states to sub-classify reserved category groups - the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/STs) - into different groups.
“The judgement has been silent on the parameters to measure the backwardness of different castes within the SCs,” he said.
“EV Chinnaiah holds ground even though the 7-judge bench of the Supreme Court(by 6-1) held that sub-classification of Scheduled Castes is permissible for the simple reason that this judgement is against Article 14, and Beneficiaries of reservation are not just SCs, STs and OBCs but those belonging to the General Category as well. If only the SC category (historically disadvantaged) is classified, it violates the principle of equality enshrined and does not do justice for every citizen under Article 14 of the Constitution,” he said.