STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: “Congress’s pretentions of being concerned for the welfare and progress of the Scheduled Caste (SC) have been always merely to garner their votes to remain in power while as BJP’s efforts to help and assist these downtrodden sections of the society for their progress and bring to an end their millennia old suffering and exploitation, is an article of faith”, said former MP, Ex-National President of BJP Anusuchit Jaati Morcha and currently BJP State General Secretary, Uttar Pradesh unit, Ramnath Kovind while addressing media persons at Jammu on Friday.
Citing the instance of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, who was at critical junctures invariably very shabbily treated by Congress, Kovind said that the Congress worked for his defeat in the parliamentary elections of 1953 from Bandra constituency of Bombay to stem his rising popularity, especially in Scheduled Castes. “Ambedkar had by the dint of his hard work and perseverance, risen to great imminence from utter poverty and thereby had setup a shining example for the entire scheduled caste populace to emulate. Congress, instead of ensuring his due place in the society and helping him in becoming MP after the adoption of the Constitution ensured his eclipse from the public domain, notwithstanding his seminal contribution in drafting the Constitution of the country”, he added.
Kovind also referred to the reasons for Ambedkar’s resigning from the cabinet of Pt. Nehru and said that as a visionary social reformer Ambedkar wanted introduction of Hindu Law Code in the parliament to give equal status to the women in respect of inheritance and others things which was opposed by the then Congress leadership, thus forcing him to resign in protest. Congress after the death of Ambedkar, started talking of equal status to the women not as a sincere desire to end centuries old discrimination with the ladies but only on account of vote politics.
“On the contrary, BJP worked for giving due respect and status to Dr. Ambedkar by getting his portrait installed in the gallery of the parliament and ensuring conferring of Bharat Ratna on him during the BJP supported Prime Ministership of V.P Singh. It also renovated his birth place and also ensured his place of last abode being converted into a memorial of international level”, he said.
Kovind said that BJP recognises the contribution of Dr. Ambedkar and has very high regards for this great Dalit leader. It is in this context that the party as well as Anusuchit Jaati Morcha organises nationwide programmes on his birth and death anniversaries. He further said that the party and Morcha are organising programmes on December 6, to remember this great leader and these programmes will educate the Dalits in particular about the ill treatment meted to him as well as the need of the hour to appreciate BJP for its concern towards Dalit community and its leaders.
He was flanked by Anusuchit Jaati Morcha National Vice President Suraj Keiro, National General Secretaries Ramesh Chandra Ratn and Gopal Pacherwali, BJP State Spokesperson Balbir Ram Rattan and Anusuchit Jaati Morcha State President Surinder Bhagat.
