New Delhi, Apr 14: President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla paid floral tributes at the statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar in the Parliament House Complex on Monday, marking his birth anniversary.
Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage at the statue of Ambedkar. Union ministers, MPs and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta were also present to offer their tributes.
On the eve of the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu greeted people and said Ambedkar’s contributions across various fields would continue to inspire future generations to work with dedication towards nation-building.
In her message, she said Ambedkar created a distinct identity despite facing extreme hardships and earned global respect through his exceptional achievements. He considered education an important tool for social change and empowerment of the downtrodden, the President said.
Paying tributes to Bhimrao Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, Prime Minister Modi said that it was due to his 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, Modi said on X.
Ambedkar is recognised for his lifelong struggle for the empowerment of Scheduled Castes and his key role in drafting the Constitution.
Born in a Dalit family in 1891, he was a brilliant student who went on to study abroad. The discrimination he suffered in Indian society made him a committed social reformer. He was also India’s first law minister.
Ambedkar’s ideals must reach every corner of society: Union law minister
Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Monday said the values of equality, liberty and fraternity — the foundational pillars laid down by BR Ambedkar — must deeply permeate society in order to truly fulfil the vision of the Constitution.
“Only then can the journey of the Constitution be completed,” Meghwal said at an event organised by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes on Ambedkar Jayanti.
He called for a broader understanding and adoption of Ambedkar’s ideals, not just in legal frameworks but in everyday social behaviour.
Referring to ongoing debates around ownership of Ambedkar’s legacy, Meghwal dismissed political claims over the late leader’s elevation.
“Some say this party made him a minister or that party did. I say it was society that made him a minister,” he said.
Echoing a similar sentiment, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said Ambedkar’s contribution had transcended national boundaries and caste identities.
“Today, Ambedkar Jayanti is being observed globally. Despite the oppression and the discrimination he faced, his vision for an inclusive society remains unmatched,” he said.
Kumar also noted how Ambedkar’s fight helped ensure constitutional rights for the historically marginalised.
“Crores of people who were once humiliated and discriminated against gained the right to live with dignity because of Babasaheb. Be it access to education, reservations in employment, or social justice — his struggle made these possible,” he said.
The minister claimed Ambedkar was approached by various religious groups and asked to convert but he refused to embrace Islam or Christianity.
“He chose Buddhism, a faith aligned with his ideals of equality and rationalism. He was a profound nationalist and his decisions were rooted in what was best for the nation,” Kumar said.
“For us, Babasaheb is no less than a god,” he added.
The ministers’ remarks came on a day India honoured the principal architect of the Constitution and a relentless crusader for social justice on his birth anniversary. (PTI)
