There was no contribution of the Nehru-Gandhi family in giving rights to Dalits and backward classes, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati alleged on Monday.
"Whatever rights Dalits and backwards had is due to Bhim Rao Ambedkar and there is no contribution of the Nehru-Gandhi family," Mayawati said while addressing a gathering after inaugurating the 'Bhim Rao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal' in Lucknow.
Alleging that 'Congress and company' had conspired against Ambedkar so that he could not become a member of the Constituent Assembly, Mayawati said that during partition, the Congress had ceded a particular area in West Bengal, represented by Ambedkar, to Pakistan so that he could not become a member.
The area had 42 per cent Muslim population and 58 per cent Hindu population, but was given to Pakistan only to prevent Ambedkar from becoming a member of the Constituent Assembly, she claimed. Mayawati also asked Bahujan Samaj Party workers to beware of 'Congress and Company'.
The Chief Minister alleged that after Ambedkar went to England and met leaders of the government, they put a condition before the Congress leadership that India would be given freedom if Amedkar did not become as member of Constituent Assembly.
Later, Ambedkar was elected from Pune and became a member of the Constituent Assembly in July 9, 1947, she said.
Taking potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mayawati said it was due to Ambedkar that the Indian Constitution was secular and not based on Hindutva ideology propagated by the BJP.