Ambedkar in saffron robes with ash on forehead in Thanjavur; 'What's wrong?' says Hindu leader
Amid clash between a Hindu outfit and Dalit group VCK over the saffronisation of Ambedkar, Hindu leader Arjun Sampath said Ambedkar loved Saffron before embracing Buddhism.
A major row erupted in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday on the occasion of the death anniversary as controversial posters of Ambedkar in saffron robes with ash smeared on the forehead appeared in Thanjavur. An office-bearer of Indu Makkal Katchi, Gurumurthy, was taken into custody following a clash between the pro-Hindu outfit and Dalit group Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK).
Members belonging to both outfits took to the street appropriating Ambedkar's identity. Ambedkar was common to all Indians, the Hindu group said. Indu Makkal Katchi founder Arjun Sampath said there was nothing wrong in portraying Ambedkar as a Hindu as he is not confined to any religion. Sampath said Ambedkar was a Saffron-lover before he embraced Buddhism and in the posters, Ambedkar was saffronised to create awareness.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader and MP, Tholkappiyan Thirumavalavan condemned Ambedkar's saffronisation and said Ambedkar left Hinduism and till his last breath opposed the Brahminical supremacy.
"Religious psychopaths have degraded Ambedkar. Till his last breath, Ambedkar was against Brahminical Manusmriti. He also left Hinduism along with his 10 lakh followers and pulled out the teeth of bigots," he tweeted demanding the Tamil nadu government to take action against the Hindu group.
