Ambedkar inspired me, says Modi

Eying Dalit votes for the upcoming Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday laid the foundation stone of an international centre in the name of Ambedkar in the national Capital. The foundation was laid six days after the 124th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar. 

Modi said the country could do without both social untouchability that Ambedkar faced during his lifetime and political untouchability that he faced after death. “Baba Saheb Ambedkar was not a leader of only dalits, but was god for the humankind. He was a ray of hope for the marginalised and downtrodden sections of society,” Modi said.

The PM said, “Whatever I’m is all because of Ambedkar. I have reached at this level due to Babasaheb’s initiatives taken for social equality. If Ambedkar was not there, where would be Narendra Modi...I think about this often.”  

Social Justice Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said, “When Ambedkar was not allowed to enter ithe temples, he never supported the idea of building separate temple for dalits or marginalised sections of the society. He used to tell his supporters that building separate temples would divide people. He asked his men to fight against untouchability and other ill-practices.” Gehlot said the four storeyed Centre would be built on 3.25 acres and at an estimated budget of Rs 198 crore.