New Delhi, April 30 (H.S.): A poster comparing Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to Dr. Ambedkar has sparked controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denouncing it as an insult to Ambedkar, a revered figure among Dalits and the architect of the constitution.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal criticized the poster, asserting that Akhilesh’s alignment with Congress, which historically opposed Ambedkar in elections, undermines his support among the Dalit community. He recalled when a Samajwadi Party MP tore a reservation bill during the UPA-2, emphasizing that Akhilesh leads a family-oriented party in contrast to Ambedkar’s stance against dynastic politics.

Meghwal questioned how Dalits could support someone connected to a party that once defeated Ambedkar and linked Akhilesh to Rajiv Gandhi, an opponent of OBC reservations. He concluded that Akhilesh’s claims of similarity to Ambedkar are deeply insulting to the legacy of Baba Saheb.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar