The Union Cabinet on Saturday decided to observe in a big way the 125th birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.
The Cabinet was apprised of the constitution of a committee under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to suggest different programmes and activities to be undertaken by various ministries, departments, States and Union Territories to celebrate Ambedkar’s anniversary and spread his thoughts and ideas.
Briefing the media after a meeting of the Cabinet, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the Cabinet was informed of 16 major activities being undertaken by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to promote Ambedkar’s ideology and philosophy. These initiatives included setting up of Ambedkar International Centre at 15 Janpath at a cost of Rs 197 crore.
BJP targets Rahul
Mr. Prasad and Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot ruled out any political motive behind the government’s elaborate plans but hit out at Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who will kick off party’s nationwide celebrations of Ambedkar’s anniversary from the Dalit icon’s birth place Mhow in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.
“Rahul Gandhi and his party never honoured Ambedkar. Neither he neither got Bharat Ratna nor was his oil painting installed in Parliament premises as long Congress was in power. If today somebody is going there (Mhow), I want to ask why did he not do it for so many years?
“Today they (Congress) are doing it as the land beneath their feat has slipped,” Mr. Gehlot said.
Rs 99 crore memorial
Mr. Prasad said that a tableau on Dr. Ambedkar will also be presented on the Republic Day parade in 2016.
The 16 major activities that the government has lined up to commemorate the anniversary include observing his birthday on April 14 as ‘National Nandhutva Bhav Samrasata Diwas (National Amity and Brotherhood Day)’, issue a commemorative postal stamp and a coin on him, and set up Ambedkar memorial at a cost of Rs 99 crore in Delhi.
Besides, it plans to bring out a commemorative publication containing articles on Dr. Ambedkar by renowned personalities, organise a series of 12 lectures through existing Ambedkar Chairs set up by the Ambedkar Foundation, develop at least two prominent places associated with him, hold seminars on his contribution, and sponsor 100 students for study tour to University of Columbia (U.S.) and London School of Economics (U.K.), where Dr. Ambedkar studied.
