Gujarat Bar Council member boycotts event over Amit Shah’s presence, says he ‘insulted Ambedkar’

The BCG has organised an oath-taking ceremony for the newly enrolled advocates on the state roll of the BCG at Vigyan Bhawan of Science City in Ahmedabad on December 30. In all, 6,000 newly enrolled advocates are set to take the oath.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Vaghela said, “If you (Shah) insult a person under whose leadership the Constitution was framed and do not apologise for three days, then why should I remain present in a programme having your presence (as chief guest)?”

Meanwhile, chairman of BCG J J Patel accused Vaghela of attempting to “do politics in a non-political event” of a statutory body.

“He (Vaghela) is a pure Congressman: an office bearer of the Congress legal cell. Even his wife fought the election of the (municipal) corporation and lost. On the political side, he can do whatever protest he wants, but he should not do it from the platform of BCG. BCG is the parent body of all the lawyers of Gujarat and Amitbhai (Shah) is coming on their request. One should not bring one’s political agenda to this programme. This is a programme of Gujarat’s lawyers. BCG is a non-political statutory body and Amitbhai is the guest of all the lawyers of Gujarat,” said Patel.

To this, however, Vaghela said, “I have announced to boycott the event as a Dalit and an Ambedkarite. It has nothing to do with Congress. I have announced it because my sentiments are hurt (by Shah’s comments).”

Patel also said that Vaghela was present in all the board meetings of BCG where the decision to hold the programme under Shah’s leadership was taken, alleging that Vaghela had given his consent then.

He added that the BCG is going to hold the programme with full strength with the presence of a “record number” of lawyers in it. Representatives of all bar associations, the entire team of the Bar Council of India and the chairmen/vice-chairmen of all state bar councils are also expected to come for the event.

Apart from Shah, the function is expected to be attended by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state law minister Rushikesh Patel, Chairman of Bar Council of India Manan Kumar Mishra, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, and Advocate General of Gujarat Kamal Trivedi.

Amit Shah made the alleged objectionable comments while replying to the two-day debate in Rajya Sabha on the “Glorious Journey of 75 Years of the Constitution of India on Tuesday.

As the Opposition took objection to Shah’s statements while terming it as Ambedkar’s insult, Shah had addressed a press conference and accused the Congress of spreading disinformation against him.