With an eye on the upcoming civic polls in several cities, the Maharashtra state government barrelled through an agreement to transfer 12 acres of land in Indu Mill at Dadar to build a memorial for Dalit icon Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, an issue that has been hanging fire for more than a decade. A tripartite agreement between the Union textiles ministry, the Maharashtra gover nment and the National Textile Corporation, which owns the land, was signed on Sunday in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. The land earmarked for the memorial sits next to Chaityabhoomi, where the last rites of Dr Ambedkar were performed. Modi has promised to attend the bhoomi pujan ceremony . The tripartite agreement relating to the Ambedkar memorial signed on Sunday transfers the ownership of the land to the state government, once the formalities are completed. “ A three-member committee has been formed under a deputy secretary of the central government to decide on the remuneration of the land and complete the other formalities,“ sources said.
Babasaheb's grandson Anandraj Ambedkar welcomed the agreement. “I congratulate prime minister Modi and chief minister Fadnavis and expect that the work will start as soon as possible.The government should build a statue of Babasaheb in the memorial which should be symbol of equality . As much of the 12 acre-plot should be kept as an open, green landscape where Ambedkar followers can congregate on December 6, his death anniversary,“ he said.
The state government had earlier assured that it would do the bhoomi pujan on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, but Modi will be on a tour to Germany on that date, and the ceremo ny will be held only after he returns. A beautiful memorial will be con structed on the land, a statement from the PMO said.
In 2013, the National Coastal Zone Management Authority had agreed to a proposal to modify the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms to facilitate building the memorial.
The state government's quick action on the memorial land is seen as an at tempt to tap Dalit votes and bring them closer to Mahayuti, the grand alliance of saffron parties in the state. About a fifth of the state's population of 11 crore are dalits. Their votes will be crucial in elections to Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai civic bodies that are scheduled later this month, as well as in elections to Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune and Amravati civic bodies that will be held in the next two years.
A faction of the RPI, which represents Dalit votes, is already with the Mahayuti, and the memorial will give credibility to the alliance's social empowerment agenda, and expand and cement Dalit support.
Babasaheb's grandson Anandraj Ambedkar welcomed the agreement. “I congratulate prime minister Modi and chief minister Fadnavis and expect that the work will start as soon as possible.The government should build a statue of Babasaheb in the memorial which should be symbol of equality . As much of the 12 acre-plot should be kept as an open, green landscape where Ambedkar followers can congregate on December 6, his death anniversary,“ he said.
The state government had earlier assured that it would do the bhoomi pujan on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, but Modi will be on a tour to Germany on that date, and the ceremo ny will be held only after he returns. A beautiful memorial will be con structed on the land, a statement from the PMO said.
In 2013, the National Coastal Zone Management Authority had agreed to a proposal to modify the coastal regulation zone (CRZ) norms to facilitate building the memorial.
The state government's quick action on the memorial land is seen as an at tempt to tap Dalit votes and bring them closer to Mahayuti, the grand alliance of saffron parties in the state. About a fifth of the state's population of 11 crore are dalits. Their votes will be crucial in elections to Aurangabad and Navi Mumbai civic bodies that are scheduled later this month, as well as in elections to Nagpur, Mumbai, Pune and Amravati civic bodies that will be held in the next two years.
A faction of the RPI, which represents Dalit votes, is already with the Mahayuti, and the memorial will give credibility to the alliance's social empowerment agenda, and expand and cement Dalit support.
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