VHP Leader Terms BR Ambedkar a Typist, Clerk; Arrested in Chennai

Chennai: Former vice president of the Tamil Nadu unit of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) RBVS Manian was arrested by the Chennai Police on Thursday for making derogatory remarks about father of the Indian Constitution, BR Ambedkar.

A speech by Manian went viral on social media. In it, Manian made several derogatory casteist remarks.

Later speaking on BR Ambedkar, the father of the Indian Constitution,  he termed the great social activist and freedom fighter as a “clerk, typist and proofreader”.

“Many people keep saying Ambedkar gave us the Constitution. They keep singing praises of him. He didn’t come up with anything of his own (while framing the Constitution). There will be a lot of discussions. All of that was written by a stenographer. The stenographer typed it. Then a person had to verify if what was typed was correct. That’s the job Ambedkar had,” he said.

His remarks drew widespread outrage from social media users.

Based on a complaint, the Chennai police registered a case against him under sections 153 (promoting enmity between groups), 505 (inciting violence), and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and under Section 3 and relevant provisions of the SC-ST Act.