Parties across political hues may differ on other historical figures, but not B R Ambedkar, the tallest Dalit leader and the architect of the Indian Constitution, whose importance and stature in the political sphere is now uncontested. This was evident on Thursday, Ambedkar's birth anniversary, when tributes were paid to him by leaders across parties and from different corners of the country. April 14 is now marked as a public holiday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi “Babasaheb's thoughts on the welfare of the downtrodden and oppressed sections have been an inspiration for our government. This is the reason that all our schemes have been implemented keeping in mind the poorest of the poor and we have taken many steps in the direction of social justice.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah “The Modi government has been working continuously for the last 8 years in building the India of Babasaheb's dreams.” बाबासाहेब अम्बेडकर जी का विराट जीवन स्वयं में सामाजिक न्याय व समरसता का ऐसा अमर विचार है जिसने भारत को प्रगतिशील व सर्वसमावेशी संविधान देकर न सिर्फ देश को एकता के सूत्र में बांधा बल्कि हर वर्ग को अपना जीवन संवारने के लिए समान अवसर व अधिकार देकर देश के विकास में सहभागी बनाया। pic.twitter.com/AGz8YS7c6W — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 14, 2022 BJP Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said “the resolve of social justice is reaching its fruition under the leadership of the respected Prime Minister”, and cited Ambedkar's ideas of “Freedom, Equality and Fraternity”. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government “fondly cherishes the ideals, values & virtues” of Ambedkar, and reiterated its “commitment to his principles of equality & justice”. A towering visionary and one of the tallest architects of modern India, we so fondly cherish the ideals, values & virtues of Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar. On his Jayanti, I pay my reverence to Baba Saheb and reiterate our commitment to his principles of equality & justice. pic.twitter.com/d3NJik3O2b — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) April 14, 2022 Congress Senior party leader Rahul Gandhi hailed Ambedkar for giving India “its strongest pillar of strength - our sacred Constitution”. On the occasion of his 131st birth anniversary, my tributes to Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar, who gave India its strongest pillar of strength - our sacred Constitution. #AmbedkarJayanti pic.twitter.com/4fVbwKvp8w — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 14, 2022 Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said: "Babasaheb gave the blueprint of nation building based on the ideas of justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, self-respect and unity and integrity. Various forces are attacking these values. In the honour of Babasaheb, we all have to stand firm and defend the Constitution and the values enshrined in it.” .ये मूल्य हमारी ताकत हैं। आज तमाम शक्तियां इतिहास से आए इन मूल्यों पर गहरा प्रहार कर रही हैं। संविधान को कमजोर कर रही हैं। बाबासाहब के सम्मान में हम सबको दृढ़ होकर संविधान की और उसमें निहित मूल्यों की रक्षा करनी होगी। 2/2 — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) April 14, 2022 BSP Party supremo Mayawati said: “The parties and their governments with their casteist mindsets might ignore the struggles and message of Babasaheb Ambedkar, and target his followers, but the BSP movement for their self-respect and pride is not going to stop.” CPM Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said Ambedkar's struggles and ideas should be an inspiration for “our fight for a world free of caste exploitation and inequality”. “It is the need of the communal forces to nullify the Constitution of the country. which is the cornerstone of Indian democracy. It is the responsibility of every democratic believer to resist this.” B.R Ambedkar was the principal architect of our Constitution and an indefatigable crusader of social justice. Let's get inspired by his struggles and ideas for our fight for a world free of caste exploitation and inequality. #AmbedkarJayanti wishes to all. pic.twitter.com/UpwmerxPIF — Pinarayi Vijayan (@vijayanpinarayi) April 14, 2022 Aam Aadmi Party Announcing that his government's Specialised Schools of Excellence will now be known as B R Ambedkar Schools of Specialised Excellence, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said: "Babasaheb Ambedkar gave maximum emphasis on education and what could be a better way of paying homage to him than naming best of our schools after him." Trinamool Congress West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said Ambedkar's life and work should guide everyone “to work tirelessly for the good of all and to uphold the principles of our Constitution”. NCP Party chief Sharad Pawar said that at a time when neighbouring Sri Lanka and Pakistan are facing instability, India continues to remain stable and united due to the Constitution given by Ambedkar. “India is a continent-like country, which has people belonging to different castes and speaking different languages and has different regions. Still, its stability has remained intact. The important reason behind this is the Constitution given by Babasaheb.” Pawar said Ambedkar was an “equally important economist”, noting that he had held portfolios of electricity generation and water conservation in the government that was formed before Independence and took key decisions in these spheres. President Ram Nath Kovind hailed Ambedkar's ideal of “Indian first, Indian later and Indian last”; Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu called him “the voice of the socially oppressed. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena) paid floral tributes to Ambedkar at 'Chatiyabhoomi', his memorial in central Mumbai. Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin (DMK) marked April 14 as "Day of Equality" while Bihar CM Nitish Kumar (JD-U) called Ambedkar “a great thinker, writer, speaker, legal expert” and “an inspiration for all Indians”. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (BJP) has declared that Ambedkar's birthplace Mhow will be included as a destination in the government's 'Teerth Darshan Yojna'. (Mhow saw visits by Chouhan and other BJP leaders as well as senior Congress leaders). श्रद्धेय बाबा साहब डॉ.भीमराव अंबेडकर की यह जन्मस्थली लाखों लोगों के लिए प्रेरणा का स्रोत है। #AmbedkarJayanti पर उनके चरणों में नमन कर राष्ट्र व समाज की उन्नति हेतु प्राण-प्रण से कार्य करने का संकल्प लिया। यह उनके चरणों के प्रताप से उत्पन्न प्रेरणा का भाव है। कोटिश: प्रणाम! pic.twitter.com/V4rwZQZV71 — Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) April 14, 2022
