Dalits object to inauguration by Suresh Kalmadi

Dalit activists in Pune, under the leadership of poet Namdeo Dhasal, strongly opposed the inauguration of the Matoshree Ramabai Bhimrao Ambedkar Udyan by Congress leader and city MP, Suresh Kalmadi.

They expressed unhappiness over his alleged role in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) scam. The activists said they would remove the plaque bearing his name within 48 hours.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has developed a public garden opposite Wadia College.

The Dalit activists had resorted to an agitation demanding that the garden be named after Matoshree Ramabai Bhimrao Ambedkar, wife of Dalit leader and father of the Indian constitution, BR Ambedkar.

On Monday, the civic body had planned the inauguration of the park by Kalmadi, which was strongly opposed by the Dalit activists.

The MP abstained from the event and the garden was inaugurated by senior Congress leader and former minister of state for home, Ramesh Bagwe.

Dalit leader Dhasal told mediapersons that they were not in favour of Kalmadi inaugurating the garden because there were numerous allegations of corruption against him and the matter was being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Dhasal said the Dalit activists would remove the plaque bearing Kalmadi’s name in 48 hours and replace it with one bearing Bagwe’s name.