Ambedkar accuses BJP of hatching conspiracy against reservations

The Bharup Bahujan Mahasangh chief, Prakash Ambedkar, held a press briefing to demand certain answers from the Bharatiya Janata Party government for arresting Dalit students and calling them 'urban Maoists.' Ambedkar accused the government of adopting a new strategy to create a divide within society along caste lines and the reservation issue. "A political environment is being created to take our country towards an emergency," said Ambedkar. "In the forthcoming days, I can see clashes between reservation and anti-reservation forces in many states. Government is not ready to rein in these anti-reservation forces," he added. Ambedkar accused the BJP government at the centre and state of deliberately turning a blind eye and encouraging lawless protesters. He alleged that after “the tried-and-tested formula has failed, the BJP now is eyeing the Dalits and reservation issue to vitiate the atmosphere and postpone the general elections”. "The government is ensuring that the law and order in these states where the clashes are likely breaks down and allowing polarisation to take place. The government has realised they are on the back foot and will not be the first choice of the people in the next elections," said Ambedkar. Speaking of the arrests, Ambedkar said this entire Pune issue is to take the country towards internal emergency. "This is a huge political conspiracy. The people who had come to pay their respects at Bhima Koregaon were beaten, attacked and their buses burnt," he asserted. He alleged that the leaders of the forces who indulged in these excesses, are Milind Ekbote and Manohar (Sambhaji) Bhide.