Ambedkar legacy will guide future generations: Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla led the nation in paying floral tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at the Parliament House complex on Monday.
Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage at the iconic statue of the architect of the Constitution, along with Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
In her message, President Murmu said Dr Ambedkar’s contributions across various fields would continue to inspire future generations to work towards nation-building. Despite facing immense hardships, he earned global respect and created a distinct identity through his achievements, she said, highlighting his belief in education as a powerful tool for social transformation.
Prime Minister Modi, in his tribute on X, said it was due to Ambedkar’s inspiration that the country was dedicated to realising the dream of social justice. “His principles and ideas will strengthen and speed up the building of an ‘aatmanirbhar’ (self-reliant) and developed India,” he added.
Born into a Dalit family in 1891, Ambedkar rose through systemic discrimination to become a brilliant scholar, social reformer, India’s first Law Minister and the principal architect of the Constitution. His legacy as a champion of equality and justice remains central to India’s democratic foundation.
Marking the occasion, the Congress renewed its demand for a nationwide caste census, calling it essential to assess the real status of different social groups in present-day India.
“Caste census is necessary,” Congress president Kharge said, pointing out that government welfare schemes still rely on outdated 2011 census data. “We don’t know the actual condition of various sections—whether they’ve progressed in education, employment, housing, or land ownership,” he added.
Kharge also demanded the reintroduction of the SC-ST sub-plan, inclusion of state quota laws in the Ninth Schedule to bypass the 50 percent cap, and implementation of the women’s reservation bill with one-third of the seats reserved for SC, ST, and OBC women.
Rahul said Ambedkar’s fight for equality and democracy would continue to guide the effort to safeguard the Constitution. Echoing his sentiment, Priyanka Gandhi said, “Our Constitution is the protective shield for every Indian—one that is under threat today.”
Congress general secretary KC Venugopal added that while those in power may try to undermine the Constitution, its moral authority remains intact. “Even its detractors are forced to bow before it,” he said.
India