HAVERI:Former Shiggaon MLA, Sayed Azeempeer Khadri, sparked a controversy on Monday with his remarks suggesting that Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, was ready to convert to Islam.
Speaking at an Adi Jambava community event in connection with the Shiggaon assembly byelection rally for Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, Khadri claimed that Ambedkar had made extensive preparations for his conversion to Islam. However, he eventually chose Buddhism.
Khadri went on to suggest that if Ambedkar had embraced Islam, the entire Dalit community would have followed suit.
He even speculated about potential name changes for prominent Dalit figures, saying that individuals like RB Thimmapur could have become Rahim Khan, Dr G Parameshwara might have adopted the name Peer Saheb, L Hanumanthayya could have been known as Hasan Saheb, and Manjunath Thimmapur could have chosen the name Baboosaab.
The former MLA highlighted what he sees as the historical bond between Dalit and Muslim communities, pointing out the proximity of Muslim dargahs to Dalit settlements.
His comments quickly went viral on social media, prompting a strong response from the Congress party, which distanced itself from Khadri’s statements.
Khadri, who had been denied a party ticket, is now contesting the Shiggaon assembly byelection as an independent candidate.
In the aftermath of his comments, the BJP criticised both Khadri and the Congress for what they described as a lack of understanding of the matter.