'Ambedkar's legacy politicised': Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi 

Mumbai -  

Journalist and author Manoj Mitta, founder chairman - Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Milind Kamble, chief economist, RBI, advisor to the IMF Narendra Jadhav, and author and great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi, on Thursday, shared the stage at the India Today Conclave in Mumbai. 

 

Narendra Jadhav, upon being asked about the true legacy of Dr. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi, stressed on the appropriation of a persona and the appropriation of the invocation of ideas. 

 

"For the majority of the Indian population, Gandhi Ji remains the father of the nation. That has not faded over the period of time," Narendra Jadhav said, adding, "One section of society, however, talks inappropriately about him." 

 

"Talking of Dr. Ambedkar, there is a complete change in terms of appropriating Dr. Ambedkar's persona. People have realised that Dr. Ambedkar's qualifications have covered the entire spectrum of human rights," he added. 

Speaking at the conclave, Tushar Gandhi said, "Both Gandhi Ji and Ambedkar stood for the rule of law." 

"The problem is with people like me who have identified ourselves as Gandhians. Instead, we should have allowed his ideology to be his legacy," Tushar Gandhi said. 

About Ambedkar, Tushar Gandhi said it is unfortunate that he is viewed as a "Dalit leader". 

"His legacy has been politicised," he added. 

 

At the conclave, Manoj Mitta also spoke about the ideologies of both Gandhi and Ambedkar and said, "Gandhi was himself a victim of sedition and was jailed on various charges, along with several others." 

"The Congress and BJP have put forth Gandhi and Ambedkar through their own perspectives," Manoj Mitta said at the conclave. 

Milind Kamble, at the conclave, said Ambedkar did a great job in economic empowerment of the scheduled caste and scheduled tribes. 

"He established a People's Education Society and that's how he built up a legacy for the upliftment of the backward classes," Kamble said. 

"Even while holding ministerial positions, Ambedkar became popular as an icon and encouraged economic empowerment," he added. 

The two-day conclave, being held at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, will resonate with discussions that range from politics and economics to entertainment and lifestyle.