Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that there had for years been attempts to suppress the ideas of B.R. Ambedkar and obliterate his contribution to nation-building. This, he said, was done to serve the “interests” of one family.
Mr. Modi was addressing a ceremony to dedicate Dr. Ambedkar International Centre to the nation.
“Many great souls have been born in our country who have not just become the face of social change but whose thoughts have also given shape to the nation’s future and thought.” It was a telling commentary of the incredible power of Babasaheb that even though there were attempts to suppress his thought and obliterate his contribution to nation-building, his views could not be wiped out from the minds of the masses, Mr. Modi said. “It will not be wrong if I say that more people today are influenced by Babasaeb than by the family for whose sake such things were done.”
While the Prime Minister took no names, this was taken as an oblique attack on the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Ambedkar, who was the chairman of the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution, was inducted by Jawaharlal Nehru into his Cabinet as the first Law Minister, despite the Dalit leader having been deeply critical of the Congress.
Mr. Modi took credit for his government’s attempts to develop places related to Dr. Ambedkar into fitting memorials, doing justice to his legacy – be it the house at Alipur in Delhi where he died or his birthplace at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.
He said the BHIM App was named after Dr. Ambedkar. Also, several social welfare schemes of his government were aimed at implementing the late leader’s vision, he said.
