'Ambedkar was ready to convert to Islam': Karnataka Congress' Khadri sparks row, BJP dubs claim 'bogus & fake'

Karnataka Congress leader and former MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri sparked controversy on Tuesday by stating that Dr. BR Ambedkar was on the verge of converting to Islam.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Nov 12, 2024, 5:56 PM IST | Last Updated Nov 12, 2024, 5:56 PM IST

Karnataka Congress leader and former MLA Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri sparked controversy on Tuesday by stating that Dr. BR Ambedkar was on the verge of converting to Islam. He suggested that if Ambedkar had converted, Karnataka's Home Minister G. Parameshwara and many Dalits today would be Muslims. Khadri made these comments during a political rally in Shiggaon, Karnataka.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar, in those days, was all set to accept and join Islam, but he then eventually became a Buddhist," the Congress leader claimed.

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“(Karnataka Congress leader) Nagaraj Yadav Sir may know about this. Had Babasaheb Ambedkar joined Islam, then Ramappa (Timmapur) would have been Rahim, Dr G Parameshwara would have been ‘Peer Saheb’, Hanumantha Gowda would have been Hassan and Manjunath Timmapur would be ‘Mehboob’," he added, at a convention of Madiga community ahead of the by-election in Shiggaon on November 13.

After Sayed Azeem Peer Khadri’s controversial remark went viral, the Congress quickly sought to distance itself from his statement. MLC Nagraj Yadav, who was present on stage during the comment called it an "unwarranted remark."

“This is an unwarranted comment by Khadri, and I don’t second it at all. Dr Ambedkar is one of the greatest leaders India has ever seen. He wanted everyone to accept all religions. He was never into stuff like what Khadri said. Khadri should restrain such statements," he told News 18.

BJP lashes out at Khadri

In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) condemned Khadri’s statement and called it 'bogus and fake'. In a post on X, Amit Malviya wrote, "Former Congress MLA Syed Azeempeer Khadri’s claim that Baba Saheb Ambedkar was all set to convert to Islam is bogus and fake."

"Baba Saheb had nothing but contempt for Islam. He called Islam a closed corporation, a brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only. His powerful words are well documented in his book Pakistan or the Partition of India. Opposition’s attempt to forge a social coalition between the Dalits and Muslims is a mirage and will never succeed," he added.

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BJP leader CT Ravi said, "There were attempts by Hyderabad Nizam to get Ambedkar to join Islam and they attempted to bribe him by offering him crores of rupees. Ambedkar clearly said Islam doesn’t have equality and it has intolerance."

Khadri, who had previously rebelled against the Congress after being denied a ticket, had filed his nomination as an Independent candidate in the Shiggaon Assembly byelection.

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