New Delhi: Three-time MP and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday said he would jail the Election Commissioner if voted to power, inviting the wrath of the poll panel which asked him to explain his “threat".
Addressing a rally in Yavatmal in Maharashtra, Ambedkar slammed the EC for directing political parties to not speak about Pulwama terror attack. “The EC can’t gag us. We will speak on Pulwama," Ambedkar said, adding that if voted to power, he would jail the Election Commissioner for two days.
The three-time MP said, “The EC says don’t speak on Pulwama. Why should I not speak? It is my right. I will speak. I am not BJP. If our government comes, I will send EC to jail."
The EC has pulled up Ambedkar over his statements and has asked for an explanation on his ‘threat’. The EC in Maharashtra has asked the local district poll official to send a report on the matter as well.
Ambedkar had earlier questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union minister Nitin Gadkari and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over the Pulwama attack and ‘security lapses’ that led to it.
He claimed an "extremely urgent" military document from Kashmir dated February 8, just a few days before the Pulwama attack, had asked forces to sanitise any area before their movement. " It stated that there is a possibility of attack on convoy and asked for scrutiny on the route of the convoy," Ambedkar had told the press.
"We want to ask the government whether the cabinet discussed this issue after receiving this important document. Did the security and defence committee of the cabinet discuss this issue? Or whether this document was deliberately neglected by the government," he had then questioned.
Ambedkar, who is the grandson of BR Ambedkar, has allied with Asaduddin Owaisi’s All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Maharashtra causing discomfiture to the ruling BJP and its allies Shiv Sena in the state. A prominent Dalit leader, he will appeal to Dalit and minority voters in the region along with AIMIM.
The CPI(M) is also backing Ambedkar from Solapur Lok Sabha seat for the upcoming elections. However, CPI(M), which has considerable influence in Solapur region, has said their support is limited to Ambedkar and would not extend to any other VBA candidate.
“We have decided to support Prakash Ambedkar in Solapur. We are making an exception for him as he has been an ardent supporter in our struggles and agitations. We are, however, not going to support other VBA candidates," Ashok Dhawale, a CPI(M) central committee member had said last week.
Ambedkar is up against Congress’ Sushilkumar Shinde, former Union Minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister, and BJP’s Jaysiddheshwar Shivacharya Swami, a spiritual leader with a mass following in the region. Maharashtra will vote for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in four phases, with polling slated for April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
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