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He also hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, saying she did not respond to the Congress’s offer to contest the Uttar Pradesh polls together.
Releasing a book, titled ”The Dalit Truth”, on the battles of Dalits and for realising B R Ambedkar’s vision, Gandhi exhorted Dalits to fight for their rights by treading the path shown by Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.
”The Constitution is the weapon of India but it has no meaning without institutions. The Constitution without institutions has no meaning. We talk of protecting the Constitution. But how is the Constitution implemented? With institutions. All institutions are in the hands of the RSS,” he alleged.
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Gandhi said he would not have been able to speak up against the government had he taken any money and alleged that the CBI and the ED control the political system.
Taking on Mayawati, he said, ”We gave a message to Mayawati to form an alliance and asked her to become the chief minister. She did not even talk to us.” Gandhi said he had respect for Kanshi Ram for articulating the Dalit voice of Uttar Pradesh, due to which the Congress had suffered, and alleged that Mayawati gave a clear passage to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that was because of ”the CBI, the ED and Pegasus”.
The former Congress chief said people can only fight till such time they speak up or else, institutions will continue to be used and controlled and the Constitution will not be followed.
”This is the reality of India. And when the Constitution becomes defunct, the weak are the worst affected — Dalits, minorities, tribals, unemployed, small farmers and the poor,” he said.
Pointing out to the state of the country’s economy, Gandhi said, ”This is the time to fight.” He said Ambedkar and Gandhi had shown that ”there is a path, but you need to tread on it. There is a way, but you need to tread that path”.