Karnataka govt celebrates Dr Ambedkar: Quest for equity or appeasement?

The Congress government in Karnataka has offered a slew of welfare schemes for AHINDA community which is its major vote bank.

'Reclaiming social justice' screams the tagline of 'Quest for equity', an international conference organised by Karnataka government to celebrate the 126th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar. While the three-day event is purportedly aimed to 'Revisit Ambedkar', the timing, as well as the intent, is not apolitical.

While leaders of the BJP including union minister Dr Tawar Chand Gehlot and Ramdas Athawale have been invited to the event, it is an out and out Congress show. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate the event on Friday and with this, the Congress hopes to appeal to the aware, educated, intellectual voters from the AHINDA community.

Cheif Minister Siddaramaiah deliberately gave out hints of this being more than a mere international conference on Ambedkar when he tweeted a cryptic message. "At a time when divisive forces threaten the idea of India, the conference will see a coming together of all progressive forces in Quest for Equity," Siddharamaiah tweeted on the day he unveiled the logo for the event.

Freebies for one section, conference for another

While the Congress hopes to win over a section of Dalits through a slew of freebies and welfare schemes, the conference aims to win over those from the community who can't be pleased by doling out freebies. It is not without thought that the event has been organised by the Karnataka government. The state government is armed with the data from its Socio and Economic Survey. While the data has not been made public, the BJP has been alleging that the Congress will use it ahead of the election to appease vote banks.

After the data from Socio and Economic Survey was compiled, the Congress' poll strategy has changed. Putting to rest speculations of a popular face becoming the KPCC president, Karnataka Congress in-charge general secretary chose Parameshwar to continue in the post. "The Congress knows who will vote for the party and we do not intend to turn away our voters. In a bid to win over the BJP and JD(S)' voters, we can't lose our own. Dalit votes are the Congress' strength," said a Karnataka Congress leader.

Karnataka Congress' focus on Dalits

The international conference comes not just at a time when Karnataka is preparing for assembly polls but also at a time when parties are in a race for appeasement. While BJP's B S Yeddyurappa went on a statewide tour sharing meals with Dalits, the Congress introduced a slew of welfare schemes. The Congress government has announced schemes to the tune of Rs 27,703 crores aimed at benefitting 'marginal communities'. Free bus passes for Dalit students, full scholarships for bright students from the community, junket for farm workers are all part of Congress' 'great Dalit appeasement' plan. The conference may just be the newest addition.

The three-day international conference will see more than 200 scholars from different countries including celebrated civil rights activist Martin Luther King III. At a cost of Rs 20 crore, the event is being glammed up to 'celebrate Dr B R Ambedkar'.

OneIndia News