Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Saturday asked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to contest direct elections to test the actual public support for the “Manuvadi” agenda of the Sangh.
Addressing a meeting of Bhim Army workers at the Reshimbagh ground, located close to the RSS headquarters here, Mr. Azad demanded the Sangh to end “Manuvad”.
“I want to give a suggestion to the RSS chief...Lift the veil of lies and come to the field. It is democracy.. Contest direct elections with your agenda, and people will tell you if ‘Manusmriti’ or Constitution will run the country,” Mr. Azad said.
He said the new-citizenship law (CAA), the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register (NPR) are the “agendas” of the RSS. In the Dalit narrative, “Manuvad” is based on a “discriminatory” Manusmriti .
On Friday, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court allowed the Bhim Army to hold a meeting of its workers at Reshimbagh with certain conditions, after the local police denied permission fearing a law and order issue.
Referring to the Nagpur Police’s contention, Mr. Azad said two ideologies will always clash.
“While we believe in Constitution, they believe in Manusmriti . This country runs only on the Constitution and not on any other ideology. This ‘Manuvad’ will end in the country only if a ban is imposed on the RSS,” said Azad.
Mr. Azad also accused the RSS of trying to end reservation system through backdoor.
“Our people are still to get any positions or posts (in government jobs)...One day, we will have our prime minister and governments in other States. We will give you reservation. We will give reservation to other sections of the society. We will become givers, not takers,” Mr. Azad said.
He dared the Sangh chief to hold a discussion on the reservation system.
Mr. Azad also appealed to the Shiv Sena-headed MVA government in Maharashtra to not allow NPR in the State “in the interest of the people”.
Mr. Azad alleged that governments are not allowing protests even for the right cause.
“If we take to streets to protest we get punished. However, they do not know that those who are keen to save the nation are not afraid of any punishment, be it lathi, jail or court cases,” he said.
Mr. Azad is currently out on bail in the case of allegedly inciting people during an anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid in New Delhi on December 20.
“In future also if we don’t get permission, we will knock the doors of court. We had asked for eight hours freedom (permission for the Bhim Army meeting on Saturday) and the respected court (the Bombay HC) allowed us three hours. We respect the court, three hours are enough,” he said referring to the HC’s order.
Azad said they have called for a Bharat Bandh on February 23 on the CAA-NRC-NPR issue.
Published - February 23, 2020 06:35 am IST
