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Gondia, Jan., 16 : Dalit Mahapanchayat will
launch a nationwide campaign to press for five major demands, including
a national memorial of Babasaheb Ambedkar at his residence in New
Delhi and separate constituencies for backward and tribal communities.
This announcement was made by Indresh Gajbhiye, president of National
Dalit Mahapanchayat, New Delhi.
Gajbhiye is also chairman of Dr Ambedkar Sanman Samiti, New Delhi
and Finance Corporation of Madhya Pradesh government. Gajbhiye said
that if Mahatma Gandhi is addressed as father of the nation, Ambedkar
should be given the honour of calling as father of the Indian Constitution.
He was critical of foreign dignitaries visiting memorials of Gandhi
and Nehru families only.
Gajbhiye said that most of Ambedkar's literary activities, including
writing Indian Constitution and on religion were done at 26, Alipur
Road, New Delhi residence and there cannot be any better avenue
than this for the national memorial. He recalled that this building
belonging to the Jindals was purchased by NDA government in 2003
at a cost of Rs 16 crore. The then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
had declared it as a national memorial with a provision of Rs 100
crore for its development and beautification. But NDA lost power
in the next general elections and successive governments ignored
the issue.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had in a meeting on November 29
last year accepted the demand in principle and a committee of various
ministers was appointed to decide further course of action within
three months. The wait is on, he said.
If this deadline is not met, these committees will launch a nationwide
campaign, he said.
About separate constituencies for backward communities, Gajbhiye
said that although there are reserved constituencies for this class,
since the voters of the developed class are in majority, the representatives
from these constituencies can ill-afford to work against the interest
of these communities. He pleaded for separate constituencies for
backward communities. The other three demands also related to the
memorial issue.
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