59th death anniversary of B R Ambedkar: A day when all roads in the city led to Chaityabhoomi

Earlier this year, the Centre had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Maharashtra government to hand over the 12-acre Indu Mill land for the Ambedkar memorial. Incidentally, Ambedkar’s own grandson and Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar had opposed plans to set up the memorial on the mill land. He had instead suggested that a world-class educational institute be set up on the land in his grandfather’s memory.

On Sunday morning, Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Chaityabhoomi to pay respects to Ambedkar. The Maharashtra government had accorded state honour to the function. “My salutations to Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the architect of the most supreme Constitution of the world,” Fadnavis said while offering tributes.

In the sea of humanity, there were several who proudly wore their small connection with Dr Ambedkar. “This is the 50th year that I have come to Chaityabhoomi and I have always been proud of the small connection I share with Babasaheb,” said Harish Kambli, 78, who had come from north Maharashtra. Tight security was arranged outside the mill land and the Bal Thackeray memorial at Shivaji Park.

Amid stalls hawking Ambedkar paraphernalia at Shivaji Park, there were even stalls offering free counselling for higher education fields such as engineering, medical and aviation.

The BMC too printed lakh copies of an informative booklet on Dr Ambedkar, which was distributed free of cost.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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