GANDHINAGAR, JAN 4
Kicking up a new caste controversy, Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Friday claimed that Dr B R Ambedkar had given credit for preparation of the draft of the Constitution to B N Rau, who was a Brahmin.
Speaking at the inauguration of the second edition of `Mega Brahmin Business Summit, he also claimed that eight out of nine Indian Nobel winners, including economist Abhijit Banerjee, were Brahmins.
The summit is taking place at Adalaj near here.
“Do you know that constitutions of 60 countries were studied and then our draft Constitution was prepared? Do you know who presented that draft to Dr B R Ambedkar? We all take Dr B R Ambedkar’s name with respect when it comes to the Constitution,” Trivedi, a Brahmin himself, said.
“However, in his (Ambedkar’s) own words, the draft was prepared by B N Rau – Benegal Narsing Rau – a Brahmin,” he said at the event, also attended by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
“History tells us that Brahmins always stand behind and promote others. It was Rau who kept Ambedkar ahead of him. We are proud of Ambedkar because he admitted this during his speech in the Constituent Assembly on November 25, 1949,” Trivedi further said.
“And I quote him: `The credit given to me does not really belong to me. It belongs to B N Rau.'”
Trivedi also claimed that of the eight Indians who won Nobel prize, seven were Brahmins. “Do you know a ninth Indian recently received Nobel? Yes, he is Abhijit Banerjee, a Brahmin,” he added.
The Speaker also cited Delhi fireman Rajesh Shukla who saved 11 persons during a fire in Delhi last month as another exemplary member of the community.
