INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE AND FIGHT
FOR SOCIAL EQUALITY ARE OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE SAYS THE PRIME MINISTER
The Prime Minister
Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has underlined that the issue of Social
equality and our struggle for Independence are Complementary.
There is no question of comparing one with the other. Those who
fought for freedom and those who worked for ensuring social equality
deserve equal importance and place in our history. Dedicating
to the nation Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar’s Parivirvan Sthal here
today, Shri Vajpayee said that Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar believed
that battle for independence and social equality have to be fought
on equal footing. Describing Gandhiji and Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar
as great leaders, the Prime Minister said that the two should
not be compared with eachother as both had immense contribution
to the struggle for freedom of the country and for equality in
Indian Society. Lauding Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar’s contribution
to post-independent India the Prime Minister said that he ably
steered the framing of the Indian Constitution which became a
beacon for emerging nations.
Shri Vajpayee said
that the 26 Alipur Road permises is a pious place as Baba Saheb
lived here from 1st November, 1951 to 6th
December, 1956 when he breathed his last. The Prime Minister,
who also inaugurated the development work of the Dr. Ambedkar
National Memorial, said that it would be developed into a Museum
that would inspire the people for social equality. He said that
Baba Saheb’s Collected Works should be made available to people
in all Indian languages.
The Minister of Social
Justice and Empowerment Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya said that the
dedication to nation of Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar’s Parinirvan Sthal
meets the long due demand for a national memorial. He thanked
the Union Urban Development Ministry and Delhi Administration
for their help in setting up of the memorial. He said that the
Collected Works of Baba Saheb have been translated into 11 Indian
languages so far.
The function was
attended among others by the Minister of State (I.C) Shri Bhandaru
Datatarya, Lt. Governor of Delhi Vijay Kapoor, Delhi Chief Minister
Smt. Sheela Dixit, Minister of State for Sports, Shri Vijay Goel,
Minister of State for Food Processing Shri Sang Priya Gautam and
Minister of State for Communications Shri Ashok Pradhan.
At the time of attainment
of Maha Parinirvana by Bharat Ratna, Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, 26
Alipur Road was the private property of Maharaja of Sirohi who
had invited Baba Saheb to stay there after he resigned from the
Union Cabinet in 1951. Later the property had been taken over
by an industrial house.
In pursuance of the
decision of the Centenary Celebrations Committee of Dr. Ambedkar,
to set up a suitable National Memorial, the Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment started the process of acquiring the site
from its owners. After undergoing several legal procedures, finally
on 14th October, 2003, the execution of exchange deed
took place between the Ministry of Urban Development and its owners
in the presence of Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya.
The Ministry of Social
Justice and Empowerment will now hand over the land to the Ambedkar
Foundation to set up Dr, Ambedkar National Memorial which is long
cherished project of the Foundation.
