At the launch of his book, “Ambedkar: A Life,” at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor stated that B R Ambedkar, who was never convinced by the logic of the caste system, would not have accepted the inheritance principle. Tharoor also commented on the concentration of power in the hands of first families in political parties, suggesting that Ambedkar would have disapproved of this idea and been critical of the concept of political leadership based on inheritance rather than merit or election.
Tharoor acknowledged that this was speculation, as Ambedkar had not written about this particular aspect.
Earlier in the day, Tharoor alleged discrepancies in the party president’s election process and noted that several state Congress chiefs and senior leaders were not available to meet with him during his visits to their states, despite making time to meet with Kharge.
“Ambedkar: A Life” (Aleph Book Company; Rs 599) also delves into Ambedkar’s disputes with Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi.
The launch event included a panel discussion on “Ambedkar, Constitutional Morality, and Casteism,” featuring Supreme Court advocate Karuna Nandy, retired Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B Lokur, and economist and former MP Bhalchandra Mungekar.
