Prakash Ambedkar says educational opportunities to lower caste are being blocked

Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has alleged covert attempts are being made to stall educational opportunities available to students from the SC, ST and OBC communities. He hit out at the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena combine and the opposition Congress-NCP alliance, calling both of them "opportunists". Ambedkar said attempts are being made to curtail educational opportunities available to Dalit, tribal and OBC students by certain forces to remain in power. "In case, these underprivileged categories of the society are brought to the mainstream, the easy way to get power will be hampered," he said. Ambedkar was addressing a public rally at the Samata Maidan here in eastern Maharashtra Wednesday evening. While training his gun at both the ruling BJP-Sena Alliance and the Opposition front of Congress and NCP, Ambedkar said. "Both of them (BJP-Sena and Congress-NCP combines) are opportunists.

They speak about Gandhian ideologies, but never follow them," the Dalit leader said. Ambedkar also criticised farm activists Kishore Tiwari and Raju Shetti, saying they keep changing their stand on issues related to farmers for personal gains. The Centre has imported sugar at a cheaper rate and this has adversely affected cane-growers in the country, he said. At the rally, Ambedkar sought support from people in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls for the new political front headed by him. The Dalit leader has floated the `Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi' in partnership with AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. "It is the need of the hour to vote for change which can be ensured only by the bahujan front," he said. On the occasion, Ambedkar announced that Pravin Pawar will his political fron't candidate from the Washim-Yavatmal Lok Sabha seat. Owaisi was scheduled to attend the rally but he did not turn up.

(With inputs from agencies.)