By A Staff Reporter
Pune: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a significant election rally in Pune, Maharashtra, underscoring the vital contributions of key historical figures in establishing rights for Dalits, women, and marginalized communities in India. Kharge highlighted the Poona Pact as a transformative moment in India’s socio-political history, which laid the groundwork for the inclusion of Dalit rights within the constitutional framework.
“If Dalits have received reservation, it is due to the Poona Pact, signed between Dr. BR Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi,” Kharge remarked, pointing out the historical agreement of 1932 that led to the allocation of reserved seats for Dalits in legislative bodies. According to Kharge, this agreement did not just secure representation for Dalits but also catalyzed the framing of a more inclusive Constitution that would recognize the rights of all marginalized groups.
Kharge credited Dr. BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, alongside Mahatma Gandhi, who represented the Congress in the Poona Pact negotiations, and former Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, for their roles in shaping the rights of backward communities. “If Dalits, backward classes, women, or any person has rights today, it is because of BR Ambedkar and Pandit JL Nehru,” he added, emphasizing the forward-thinking approach of these leaders in fostering a democratic framework that sought to uplift and empower the historically disadvantaged.
With Maharashtra’s elections on the horizon, Kharge’s address aimed to reaffirm Congress’s commitment to safeguarding the rights of vulnerable groups while paying homage to the vision of India’s founding figures. By invoking the legacy of the Poona Pact, Kharge sought to remind voters of Congress’s historical role in championing equality and social justice, appealing to Maharashtra’s diverse electorate to reflect on the significance of these foundations as they head to the polls.
