‘BR Ambedkar was all set to join Islam’: Congress leader’s remark stirs controversy

The Congress party, however, disassociated itself from Khadri’s remarks, terming it as unwarranted

Karnataka Congress leader and former MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri courted controversy on Tuesday with his remarks on BR Ambedkar. Khadri reportedly claimed that Ambedkar had considered converting to Islam, and suggested that if this had occurred, current state Home Minister G Parameshwara and other members of the Dalit community might have followed a similar path.

He was speaking at a public rally in Karnataka’s Shiggaon ahead of the November 13 Assembly byelection. The Shiggaon seat fell vacant following Basavaraj Bommai’s resignation from the Assembly after his victory in the Lok Sabha election in May this year.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar, in those days, was all set to accept and join Islam, but he then eventually became a Buddhist," the Congress leader claimed, according to a report by News18.

“(Karnataka Congress leader) Nagaraj Yadav Sir may know about this. Had Babasaheb Ambedkar joined Islam, then Ramappa (Timmapur) would have been Rahim, Dr G Parameshwara would have been ‘Peer Saheb’, Hanumantha Gowda would have been Hassan and Manjunath Timmapur would be ‘Mehboob’," he added.

The Congress party, however, disassociated itself from Khadri’s remarks, terming it as unwarranted.

“This is an unwarranted comment by Khadri, and I don’t second it at all. Dr Ambedkar is one of the greatest leaders India has ever seen. He wanted everyone to accept all religions. He was never into stuff like what Khadri said. Khadri should restrain such statements,” MLC Nagaraj Yadav said in conversation with News18.