VBA leader Prakash Ambedkar demands scrapping of SC,ST reserved seats in LS and Vidhan Sabha

Mumbai: Grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi president Prakash Ambedkar has demanded scrapping of “political reservation” in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (State Assembly) constituencies for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). 

Recently he was at Bhopal in which he also said no party has the courage to eradicate such reservation at present because of “vote bank politics” and fear of losing power.

“It was for reserving the constituencies (in Lok Sabha and Assemblies for SC/ST). Babasaheb had later said in 1954 that it was not required and the provision should be removed,” said the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar.

When asked to J V Pawar, one of founder member of Dalit Panthers and close aid of Prakash Ambedkar, about what exactly is political reservation? He said, “In the round table conference Babasaheb had asserted political places but Gandhiji opposed it and conducted a fast meanwhile that issue was left behind.”

 He further said, “In 1950 when Babasaheb drafted constitution he yet again demanded political places in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha so general people wouldn’t have to vote the Dalit class but this was meant to exist only for 10 years”. 

He informed saying “When Babasaheb first fought in an election in 1952 that time one person had the right to vote twice, one vote he/she could’ve voted to SC/ST candidate and the remaining one to the candidate he wanted to. But meanwhile, this move backfired on Babasaheb himself as that time many of Babasaheb’s close volunteers were bought and in 1952 he lost the election.” 

According to Babasaheb himself, the political reservation was creating slaves and he was against slavery. In 1955 he demanded to revoke political reservation again. J V Pawar expressed ” Political reservation should be cancelled as it has no economic support. But educational and work-based reservation should remain as it is.” 

On this issue speaking with TheNews21, President of Buddhist Foundation and Advocate Vishwas Kashyap said “I believe reservation is necessary for our Dalit people. But our people can’t use it properly because they are not educated and informed about it”. 

He also said, “Reservation has been maligned by the general public they often taunt that 70 years have happened they still want to enjoy reservation”. He also alleged that “Rich people in the Dalit class are the reason behind this situation they only think about their own kids and forget about the entire class”. 

He questioned “Isn’t this kind of treatment is the same as Casteism? What about the poor backward Dalits? Why are you hiding knowledge from them?”

He also expressed “We have failed to utilise the reservation properly in last 70 years. I believe our Dalit society’s elite people must navigate and help the poor Dalit class reach their potential”.

(By Rishikesh Chavan)