AAP, BJP clash over Ambedkar’s legacy on eve of jayanti
On the eve of Ambedkar Jayanti, a political slugfest erupted between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), with both parties accusing each other of failing to uphold the legacy of Dr BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution.
Soon after Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta flagged off a walkathon to mark Ambedkar Jayanti on Sunday and said special Assembly sessions on Dr Ambedkar’s life will be held across city schools as part of a fortnight-long tribute, AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the Delhi government had removed Ambedkar’s portraits from prominent places in government offices.
Bhardwaj said former CM Arvind Kejriwal had mandated that all government offices, including those of the ministers and the Chief Minister, must display a portrait of Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar in the background.
“This ensured that all official photographs taken in the offices of ministers, the Chief Minister, or officers such as the DM or SDM, would prominently feature Babasaheb Ambedkar, he said. “But now, these portraits have been pushed into obscure corners. This act is deeply disrespectful and shows BJP’s disregard for Babasaheb’s legacy.”.
Flagging off ‘Dr Ambedkar Walkathon’, the CM said the walk was a medium to spread Ambedkar’s message of justice, equality, and rights to every citizen.
“Dr Ambedkar was not a leader of any one caste or community, but a national icon. We must not just remember him, but embody his principles through our actions. People must rise above political divides and embrace Ambedkar’s ideas for an inclusive, empowered, and progressive India," Gupta said.
The CM said it was only under Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Dr Ambedkar had been given “the honour he truly deserved."
Bharadwaj further accused the BJP of not following through on promises made to the Dalit community. “The BJP promised scholarships for all Dalit students and monthly honorariums, but none have materialised. The promise of monthly honorarium remains unfulfilled," said the AAP leader.
The Ambedkar Stipend Scheme, which was supposed to offer ₹1,000 per month to SC students in ITIs and skill centers, hasn’t been implemented,” he said.
“They have also failed to double the amount provided under pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for SC students, as promised in their manifesto. Moreover, they have not provided the one-time financial grant of ₹50,000 to every SC student who secured admission in a top-ranked NIRF institution, despite making this commitment in their manifesto," he said.
Delhi