Prakash Ambedkar threatens to throw EC into jail

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday threatened that if voted to power, his party would "throw the Election Commission (EC) into jail" for banning any reference to the Pulwama suicide attack during the elections.

"The armed forces are being sacrificed and the EC says we cannot speak about the Pulwama attack. But we shall speak about it because the Constitution grants us this freedom," Ambedkar, grandson of the architect of Indian Constitution B.R. Ambedkar, told an election rally here.

"The EC has become a puppet in the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). If our government comes to power, we shall not rest till we throw the EC into jail for at least two days," he said.

He asked whether the country would vote back "an irresponsible Prime Minister" who could not prevent the killing of 40 innocent CRPF troopers in Pulwama.

Ambedkar was campaigning in Yavatmal constituency for Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) candidate Pravin Pawar.

The VBA -- comprising Ambedkar's BBM and Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) -- is contesting 47 seats in Maharashtra. The AIMIM has separately put up a candidate in Aurangabad.

The two parties joined hands for a third front comprising all backward sections and minorities came after the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) refused to accommodate the VBA in the 56-party Mahagathbandhan.

At another election rally in Nanded, Ambedkar promised to exchange the old currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denominations, which were demonetised on November 8, 2016.

"Demonetisation played havoc on the business community. Many businessmen committed suicide. I am aware that many still have the old notes. We shall exchange those currency notes. Only you must ensure that this government of thieves is not allowed to return," he said.

Ambedkar is contesting from his traditional stronghold of Akola and also from Solapur against Congress candidate and former Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

--IANS

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