BJP to claim credit for Dalit pilgrim sites’ restoration

During a day-long chintan baithak held in the state capital on Monday,both state and national-level leaders of the cell discussed the strategy aimed to pull voters towards BJP ahead of the 2012 elections.

The Dalit pilgrim centres associated with Dr Ambedkar include his birthplace,the city where he embraced Buddhism,his deathplace at Delhi and the place in Mumbai where he was cremated.

The BJP leaders who participated in the meeting included national general secretary Thawarchand Gehlot,national secretary Ashok Pradhan,national spokesperson Ramnath Kovind,MP from Bikaner (Rajasthan) Arjun Ram Meghwal,national president of the SC/ST cell Dushyant Gautam,national general secretary of the cell Diwakar Seth besides BJP UP president Surya Pratap Shahi.

“The Congress and the BSP make false claims of being Dalit saviour. It was the BJP and its various governments which have not just framed Dalit-friendly policies,but also restored and beautified all the important places connected to Dr Ambedkar,” said Seth.

“For Dalits,these are their char dhams. The first place is Dr Ambedkar’s birthplace at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh,the second is in Nagpur where he embraced Buddhism,the third is his residence at 26 Alipur Road in Delhi and the fourth is at Chaupati in Mumbai where he was cremated. Our governments,both at the Centre and in these states,have restored these places. But now,there is no support from the Union government for their upkeep,” said Seth.

He further said they will make it known that there is no budget for the upkeep of Dr Ambedkar’s residence in Delhi which was declared as a national monument by the NDA government under the prime ministership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. “Our SC MPs have gave a memorandum to the Prime Minister on December 6 to declare and maintain the place as a national monument like the Rajghat,” said Seth.

Moreover,January onwards,the SC cell of the party will hold block-level public meetings and district-level conventions to create awareness on the issue in 50 reserved assembly constituencies. This will culminate into a state-level convention at Lucknow in April. The party will also hold a training camp for the cell members of zonal and district levels at Jhinjholi in Sonipat in Haryana.

“We will also collect information about atrocities on Dalits and fight for their rights at all levels,” said Seth.