‘I am doubtful the BJP or the RSS had anything to do with Bhima Koregaon’

MUMBAI: Nearly 18 years after he set up the Bharipa (Bharatiya Republican Paksh) Bahujan Mahasangh, 63-year-old Prakash Ambedkar, lawyer and grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has now emerged as the face of the Dalit leadership in Maharashtra. HT’S

spoke to him about the future of the Dalit agitation, the Bhima Koregaon incident, the role of Hindutva groups on Thursday. Excerpts:

Ghoge Ketaki

within just two months. The fallout of this is there will be greater consultation between Dalits and these smaller castes and a greater alignment ahead of the 2019 general elections. I am doubtful the BJP and RSS had any role to play in the January 1 violence at Bhima Koregaon. The main reason is the Maratha protests had antagonised the OBCS and Dalits. In this case, we had two fringe elements – Sambhaji Bhide and Milind Ekbote – as responsible for the violence, but there were other groups, too. Yes. The biggest challenge for the Hindutva parties and BJP is these characters whose agenda is to create chaos and challenge law and order. Khalid and Mevani both don’t have a mass base. How are they going to pull off such acts? These right-wing fringe elements have deep pockets of support among masses and feed off religious frenzy. People are fed up with the existing alternatives. I think there is a non-bjp, non-congress third front in offing. Even if it is not pan-india, such a platform could be possible in more than four to five states. I see myself being part of such a front. After Gujarat, I am waiting to see what happens in Karnataka.