Amid protests over SC/ST Act, PM Modi says 'no other government honoured Babasaheb Ambedkar as we did'
Amid the ongoing violence spread across the nation over the SC/ST Act ruling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that his government is walking on the path shown by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, adding that their mission is to work for the poorest of the poor.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new building of Western Court Annexe, PM Modi said, “We are walking on the path shown by Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. At the core of Dr. Ambedkar's ideals is harmony and togetherness. Working for the poorest of the poor is our mission”.
Hitting out at political parties for politicising the legacy of B R Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said no regime had honoured the Dalit icon like his government had.
The prime minister said his government had given Ambedkar his rightful place by completing projects conceived in his memory.
“There are two places in Delhi, which are associated with Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, on whom the Vajpayee Government had made crucial decisions. It was our Government that got the opportunity to work on them and pay tributes to Dr. Ambedkar,” he said.
The previous UPA government had dragged its feet on the project for years, Modi said.
The 26, Alipur Road house where Ambedkar died would be dedicated to the nation on April 13 on the eve of his birth anniversary, Modi said.
PM Modi reminded that it was the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government that decided to have two memorials of Ambedkar installed at two places in the capital.
Without naming the Congress-led UPA, he said it could not happen as the governments that followed Vajpayee showed little interest and ignored Ambedkar and his contributions.
"After that, the governments ran like that... Everybody is always ready to do politics in the name of Babasahib. But nobody gave him the kind of respect and paid tributes to him as much as this government did," the Prime Minister said.
He said his government was walking the path shown by Ambedkar and asked every political group to try and do the same for the country's development.
"At the core of Ambedkar's ideals is harmony and togetherness. Working for the poorest of the poor is our mission."
The remarks came days after at least nine people were killed in widespread violence during protests by Dalit groups across the country against a Supreme Court ruling that diluted provisions of a law aimed at preventing atrocities against Dalits and tribes.
PM Modi’s remarks come at a time when the nation is suffering from outrage and violence over the Supreme Court’s ruling on the SC/ST Act, which diluted its stringent provisions mandating immediate arrest under the law.
The nationwide stir by Dalit groups claimed at least 11 lives during the Bharat Bandh called on Monday. Normal life was thrown out of gear in more than 10 states, most of them BJP-ruled, with widespread violence during the protests.
The verdict is being widely criticised by Dalits and the Opposition who claim that the dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.
Watch Video: PM Modi urges parties not to do politics in Babsaheb Ambedkar's name
(With agency inputs)
