UP election 2022: Controversy over Ambedkar Memorial

Ground Report | New Delhi: UP election 2022; The Bharatiya Janata Party has played the trump card for the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. In the election year, the Yogi government is going to set up Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Center at Aishbagh, Lucknow at a cost of about 50 crores. About 25 feet high statue of Dr. Ambedkar will also be installed in this center.

Our real success lies in building a Society: President Kovind

The foundation stone of the Ambedkar memorial, which has been laid by the Yogi government by President Ram Nath Kovind, will be built in Lucknow's Aishbagh area.  The President said that morality, equality, self-respect, and Indianness are the four most important ideals of Babasaheb's vision. These four ideals are reflected in his thoughts and actions.

Ram Nath Kovind said "His cultural thinking was basically based on harmony. Dr. Ambedkar spread the thoughts of Lord Buddha. His efforts were aimed at conveying Indian values ​​like compassion, fraternity, non-violence, equality, and mutual respect to the masses and realizing the ideal of social justice. Lord Buddha's message of compassion and harmony was the basis of his life and politics. Babasaheb stressed the need for politics based on the cultural values ​​of morality and harmony. He used to say that I am Indian first, Indian later an Indian last".

The President said that Babasaheb always advocated providing equal rights to women. In the constitution drafted by him, women have been given the same fundamental right to equality as men. Dr. Ambedkar wanted that the fundamental right to equality should be given a clear legal basis through a separate bill on issues relating to the inheritance of property and marriage and other aspects of life. Today our legal system is moving on the path shown by him on many issues like property rights for women. He said that this shows that Babasaheb's visionary thinking was well ahead of his time.

A 45-meter high statue of Ambedkar will also be erected. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the first week of December. The project is scheduled to be inaugurated on December 6, the death anniversary of Ambedkar. The library, museum, and auditorium are under construction. The statue is 25 feet high. 20 footsteps will also be constructed. Cultural events will also be organized till the end of the year. Uttar Pradesh will go to the polls in 2022. The decision to build a monument to Ambedkar aimed at Dalit votes has been criticized.

ALSO READ: Ration Scheme Should Be Implemented Till July 31: Supreme Court

UP election 2022 Mayawati terms Ambedkar Memorial event a ‘Drama

Bahujan Samaj Party President and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati termed the foundation stone laying of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Cultural Center in Lucknow by the Uttar Pradesh government as a drama of the BJP government and alleged that deceit, drama, and Dalits- In the matter of killing the rights of the backward, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Congress, and the Samajwadi Party are all in the same bag.

Reacting sharply, the BSP chief tweeted, "After neglecting and harassing Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and his crores of exploited-victims followers for almost the entire time in power, now near the assembly elections, the UP BJP government will lay the foundation stone of 'Cultural Center' in the name of Baba Saheb. If all is not drama, then what is? (UP election 2022)

ALSO READ: In Nov Punjab CM Had Already Warned About The Dangers Of Drones

Mayawati said, 'BSP is not against setting up of any center, etc. in the name of Dr. Ambedkar, but now doing all this for electoral interest is a gross deception. If the UP government had done this work earlier, it would have been better if the honorable President would not have laid the foundation stone of this center but inaugurated it today.

The BSP chief also alleged that the BJP along with the SP and the Congress were involved in atrocities against all Dalits and backward. "By the way, in the case of such deceit and drama, whether the government of BJP or SP or Congress, etc., no one is less than anyone, but in the case of killing the rights of Dalits and backward, etc. and injustice-atrocities on them. Adi is the same. It is well known and it is very sad, ”she said. (UP election 2022)

As a result of this lakhs of government posts reserved for Dalits and Backward are still lying vacant and in the name of their saints, gurus and great men, there are world-class grand places and parks, etc built by the BSP government in UP. There has been gross neglect since the last SP government. This is going on continuously which is highly condemnable."

BJP Lashes Out at Mayawati

Reacting sharply to Mayawati's allegations, BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said that the BSP should welcome the decision and not criticize it. “Baba Saheb Ambedkar does not belong to anyone party, he belongs to all. Mayawati ji should have welcomed the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Ambedkar Memorial and not criticized the BJP on this issue. Babasaheb was not the leader of BSP, he was the leader of this country. It is the BJP which has taken steps to ensure due respect to Baba Saheb, wherever he may be,” Tripathi said.

You can connect with Ground Report on Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp, and mail us at [email protected] to send us your suggestions and writeups.