Athawale Condemns Dipke’s Remarks On Ambedkar, Modi

Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale on Saturday condemned CJP founder Abhijit Dipke for claiming that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru brought Dr. B.R. Ambedkar forward. Athawale asserted that Dr. Ambedkar empowered the entire nation through the Constitution. He further criticised Dipke for making disrespectful remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, warning that the Republican Party of India will take strict action if Dipke continues with such statements.

“The great leader Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar brought the entire country forward through the Constitution. Abhijit Dipke, who forgets history and makes incorrect statements, has become arrogant,” Mr. Athawale said.

Mr. Dipke had spoken about Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru at a CJP rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai, describing the three leaders as foundational pillars of modern India.

Mr. Athawale also criticised Mr. Dipke for what he described as disrespectful remarks against the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister. He asked Mr. Dipke to apologise and warned that the Republican Party of India would take a strong position if he continued making such statements.

“Some students are supporting Abhijit Dipke, which is a good thing. However, youth support should be put to constructive use. Because of his growing support, it has gone to his head, to the extent that he has made incorrect statements about Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar,” Mr. Athawale said.

“He must stop making reckless remarks while criticising great personalities and democratically elected public representatives. Otherwise, the Republican Party will take a tough stance,” he added.

At the rally, Mr. Dipke also criticised Mr. Modi, saying the Prime Minister was “just travelling around the world with our money”. Referring to Mr. Modi’s accounts of having sold tea before entering politics, Mr. Dipke said, “He keeps saying, he sold tea. Why did you sell tea? Did we ask you to sell tea? We said you could have gone to school, studied, and gotten a job.”

Mr. Dipke also responded to Mr. Fadnavis’s warning that participants in the “unauthorised rally” could face three days in jail. “Do you think anyone here is scared? … Keep us in jail for three months instead of three days. But when I come out, I will say the exact same thing you used to say — ‘Mi punha yein, mi punha yein, mi punha yein’ (I will come back),” he said.

Mr. Athawale said Mr. Dipke had also made offensive remarks targeting Mr. Modi and Mr. Fadnavis. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has developed the country. Abhijit Dipke is currently travelling in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar and across Maharashtra, where he has seen the road development. Therefore, he should not speak offensively about Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minister Fadnavis and seek apology for showing disrespect to them,” he said.