Lesson of Equality Taught by Dr Ambedkar – Venkata Giriyayya

Mangaluru: Karnataka Dalit Sangarsha Samiti (DSS) observed the 125th birthday of Dr BR Ambedkar as ‘Shoshithara Chintana Dina’ at the Town Hall here, on April 18.

State organisation Convenor, Mangaluru DSS, M Devdas welcomed the gathering and said, “Though India has been independent for the past 68 years, the constitution has not been completely implemented. After the BJP came to power, incidents of, communal violence, discrimination, atrocities against women and children have increased. We have incidents where the women have to fight for their rights to enter a temple and also of an incident where a man was lynched after being accused of storing beef. The Dalits should emerge as a strong power in the future.”

The programme was inaugurated by the State Convener of Mandya DSS, Venkata Giriyayya. Speaking on the occasion, Venkata said, “The lesson of equality taught to the world by Dr Ambedkar isn’t being applied and the governments have failed completely in this regard. Although the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was once against the caste based reservation, the BJP and Sangh Parivar have now accepted the caste based reservation system. They should celebrate Dr Ambedkar Jayanti as their enlightenment day.”

He said that the government had failed to recognise the safai karamcharis as government employees. Education has turned into a business denying everyone the right to quality education. Elections are being fought by cheat, deceit and money power, destroying the roots of democracy. “The poor cannot contest in the elections,” he added.

Venkata said, “The right-wing organizations which call bandhs when a Hindu is to marry a Muslim, keep quiet when the farmers commit suicide. The state government is outsourcing the jobs. This is wrong as the large portion of the wages is taken by the contractor and the poor worker is left with a meager salary. If the government can outsource these jobs, why can’t they outsource the civil services too? If Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister today, then Dr Ambedkar is the reason for it.”

Chief Minister’s Media Advisor, Dinesh Ameen Muttu said, “Buddha was called the tenth Avatar of Vishnu, I won’t be surprised if Dr Ambedkar is also called as the next Avatar. The constitution interpreted by the government is not same as the one given by Dr Ambedkar. One should read the document ‘States and Minorities’ by Dr Ambedkar to know his actual idea of a constitution.”

He said, “Gandhi was a freedom fighter whereas Dr Ambedkar was a social reformer. Dr Ambedkar had said that India had got political democracy and needed social democracy. He wanted the agriculture sector to be led by co-operatives and industries to be nationalized. The poor and atheists can’t contest elections today, this is the mockery of the constitution written by Dr Ambedkar.” He said that Ambedkar turned to Buddhism after his Hindu code bill was rejected in the parliament.

Sanghpal Ananda Bodhi from Buddha Vihar, Bidar, Social Activist Narendra Nayak, State President of DYFI, Muneer Katipalla, and others were also present.