Minister Apologises After Row Over Omitting BR Ambedkar From R-Day Speech

A Forest Department personnel tried to interrupt the Republic Day speech of Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan in Nashik on Monday for not mentioning Dr B R Ambedkar, prompting him to apologise for what he described as an unintentional omission.

The state water resources minister was addressing the official function after unfurling the national flag. During his speech, Madhvi Jadhav, a Forest Department staffer, interrupted to seek an explanation for not mentioning the Father of the Constitution.

Following this interruption, police intervened and detained Jadhav for a short while.

"Girish Mahajan didn't take Dr Ambedkar's name in his speech, whereas the names of those people who were not responsible for democracy and the Constitution were frequently mentioned.

"Why was the name of the person who deserves the real honour of the Republic Day not taken during the speech?" she asked.

She accused the minister of trying to erase Ambedkar's identity.

"People like me can get government jobs because of Babasaheb Ambedkar. I will not apologise," she said and dared the administration to suspend her.

Reacting to the incident, the minister later said the omission of reference to Ambedkar was purely unintentional.

"I raised slogans like 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', 'Vande Mataram', and 'Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai'. I didn't intend to mention the name of Dr Ambedkar. I always hail him in my speeches. However, I apologise for the same," Mahajan said.

Mumbai MP and city Congress president slammed the BJP over the incident.

"Republic Day is a celebration of the Constitution, and forgetting its makers reflects the BJP's anti-Maharashtra mindset,” she alleged.

Gaikwad stated that the objection raised by Forest Department officer Madhvi Jadhav during the event reflected the voice of every self-respecting Marathi citizen.

She alleged that the ruling party cared only about power and money and had no respect for the leaders who shaped the state and the nation.

"The people of Maharashtra will never forgive such ministers who are intoxicated with power," she said in a statement.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)