Guj speaker calls BR Ambedkar, PM Modi brahmins'; BJP MP says remarks to hurt party

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Sunday kicked off a controversy when he described Dalit icon BR Ambedkar as a Brahmin.

Speaking at the 'Mega Brahmin Business Summit' in Gandhinagar, Trivedi contended, “There is nothing wrong in calling a learned person a Brahmin.”

"I have no hesitation in saying that BR Ambedkar is a Brahmin. There is nothing wrong with calling a learned person a Brahmin. In that context, I will say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also a Brahmin," Gujarat Assembly speaker said ANI.

Going a step further, Trivedi said Lord Rama was a Kshtriya and Krishna was an OBC (Other Backward Caste).

Trivedi’s comments met criticisms from some in the ruling BJP.

BJP parliamentarian Udit Raj slammed Trivedi over his remarks. A report in News18 quoted him as saying, "The remarks are objectionable and undesirable. He (Trivedi) doesn't realise that he is causing irreparable damage to the party with such statements.”

On Sunday, a group of Dalits in Gujarat's Una reportedly converted to Buddhism. They claimed that they took the decision as they were not considered as Hindus and were not allowed to enter temples.

Terming the mass conversion of Dalits to Buddhism as a "dangerous situation," Udit Raj cited "social injustice" as the prime reason.

"The reason is social injustice. Dalits are beaten up for even having a moustache. I do not know what alternative they have. This is really a dangerous situation," he said.

Earlier on March 1, a similar incident came to light in Karnataka's Kalburagi district, where over 60 Dalit families converted to Buddhism.

(With ANI inputs)