NEW DELHI: Dalit leader and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday backed the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to use Dalit icon B R Ambedkar’s middle name “Ramji” in their documents and records.
“It’s a welcome move. Official records show that Babasaheb had signed his name on the pages of the Constitution of India as ‘Dr Bhimrao Ramji Aambedkar’. Those opposing or criticising this need to read more about him and know their history before making it an issue,” Paswan told TOI.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Paswan said there is nothing wrong in writing Ambedkar’s name correctly.
The BJP government’s Dalit ally’s stand comes at a time when opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have accused the state government of “playing politics” with Ambedkar’s name to get “cheap publicity” even as “Babasaheb’s followers are being inflicted with atrocities”.
Interestingly, news agency PTI quoted Bihar legislator Shyam Rajak of the Janata Dal (United) saying the government’s move “smacks of mischief”. He said the order was an attempt to “impose the agenda of Manuvad (teachings of Manu)” and “divert the attention of the Dalits from the infringement of their rights”.
