Salutations to the architect of egalitarian Indian Constitution and great champion of human rights, Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb Ambedkar on his 125th birth anniversary. He strove his life to secure a dignified and respectful life to sections of society who had been living on the margins for socio-historical reasons.
Baba Saheb was a hero in the truest sense of the term. Despite facing various wrongs and humilities he bore no ill-will or feeling of revenge against anyone. No doubt, Baba Saheb struggled all his life to secure the dalits and other exploited sections, yet he always had a positive disposition towards all sections of society. He was not merely a dalit activist.
He wanted the Hindu Code Bill that sought to provide various rights to women vis-à-vis divorce and succession of properties. When the Bill was not passed in 1951 he resigned as the first law Minister of the country. This shows his sincerity of purpose. His thinking was very extensive that covered a wide range of subjects bearing on all round development of the country. These include social welfare, economic, agricultural, industrial development, nation-rebuilding, foreign policy, social security, labour welfare etc. His books extensively and deeply cover all these issues.
With his efforts, five places closely associated with Baba Saheb are being developed as panch tirtha. It is a matter of pride for us that Baba Saheb was born at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. At his birthplace a grand memorial has been built. An annual function on a very large-scale is organized there from April 14 to 17 that draws lakhs of people.
On the initiative of Prime Minister Modi, the building in london where Baba Saheb had stayed for studies has been purchased and developed as a tirth sthal. The other places included among panch tirtha are Diksha Bhumi at Nagpur, Parinirvan Bhumi in Delhi and Ambedkar Memorial in Mumbai.
The Madhya Pradesh Government has established BR Ambedkar University of Social Science at Mhow. Its objective is to ensure active participation of the people of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes in the efforts aimed at their uplift and securing social justice to them. The first ever university of its kind, it would go a long way in eliminating social evils, inequality, superstitions, untouchability and casteism.
Great persons do not belong to any particular, caste, class or political party. They belong to all, because they feel all belong to them. Baba Saheb was among such great persons. let us rededicate ourselves to the cause championed by Baba Saheb to promote social harmony and integrate the dalits and backwards with the social mainstream. This will be the truest tribute to him.
(From the blog of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan)