On his 70th death anniversary, CM says Ambedkars ideals as relevant as ever

On the 70th Mahaparinirvan Diwas of B.R Ambedkar, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the life and ideals of the leader continue to inspire society to walk the path of social harmony, equality and justice.

Ms. Gupta paid a floral tribute at his statue at the National Memorial in north Delhi’s Alipur on Saturday. “His invaluable contribution to the drafting of the Constitution and his lifelong struggle for the rights of the marginalised remain as relevant today as ever,” she said.

The CM said the Centre’s initiative to develop Ambedkar’s Mahaparinirvana site as one of the ‘Panch Teerths’ will help preserve the key sites associated with the leader’s life so that the present and the future generations may draw inspiration from his ideas and struggles.

At the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) headquarters, a discussion was held on the life of the leader during which Delhi State president Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the BJP of trying to “make the country forget him” by removing his portrait from government offices and insulting the Dalit community. “The Dr. Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence (SoSE) created by the Arvind Kejriwal government has been renamed Chief Minister Schools of High Relevance and Innovation (CM SHRI) by the BJP government. The responsibility to protect society’s interests and fight this battle now lies on the shoulders of the people of this country,” Mr. Bharadwaj said.

Meanwhile, Delhi’s Social Welfare Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said the government is for the first time working on a large scale to bring the dreams of Ambedkar to the ground. He said that under the vision of Viksit Delhi, basic civic facilities such as cleanliness, footpaths, drinking water, drainage/sewer lines, and parks/play areas for children are being developed in areas that were neglected by previous governments. “The Social Welfare aDepartment is also working on scholarships, hostels, coaching, and skill-development schemes for students belonging to poor and disadvantaged communities,” Mr. Singh added.