Ambedkar ensured India did not opt for presidential govt: Pranab Mukherjee

KOLKATA: Former President Pranab Mukherjee hailed the contribution of BR Ambedkar saying he ensured that the country did not opt for the presidential form of government like in other constitutions.

Our Constitution remains very important and relevant even 68 years after it was adopted and many times it “counts”, he said. He was speaking at the celebration of BR Ambedkar Jayanti at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS), a scientific research institute in the city.

Narrating an incident that took place during his days in office, Mukherjee said he had to intervene in one case asking the PM to advise a governor who had been indicted by the Supreme Court. He, however, did not name the governor or the state.


“I had to tell the PM, Mr PM you advise the governor who has been indicted by the Supreme Court in its judgement for his indiscretion and wrong interpretation of the Constitution as a consequence of dismissing an elected government which had been highly censured by the SC.”

“I said he should quit,” Mukherjee said. “Of course, he listened to the advice of the PM...,” he said.