As India marks the 129th birth anniversary of the principal architect of the Constitution of India and Dalit icon, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar on April 14th, political leaders have urged party members and everyone else to extend help to the poor and needy amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to pay real tribute to the first law minister of the Republic of India, Dr. Ambedkar while following lockdown guidelines.

 

 

Stressing upon the need of the hour, BJP President JP Nadda has asked all his party workers, leaders and state unit heads to take a pledge to uphold the ideals and tenets of the constitution and obey the advisories and Government guidelines to fight coronavirus. He has requested his party members to distribute ration kits and face masks in at least two poor settlements under the ‘Feed the Needy’ programme while following the lockdown measures such as public hygiene and social distancing norms.

 

 

BJP chief JP Nadda has asked party members to make people aware of good health practices and personal hygiene to stay safe from the pandemic while assisting the authorities keep the deadly virus at bay. Nadda also advised party members and others that they should put garlands on Ambedkar’s photograph at their homes and share the same on social media to pay tribute to the legend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath too has directed his ministers and others to offer floral tributes to Dr. Ambedkar in their offices adhering to the lockdown guidelines. BSP supremo Mayawati has also requested party workers to follow lockdown restrictions, stay home and pay tribute to the legend who was a symbol of humanistic thought and sacrifice and a source of motivation for his followers, especially the BSP, she said through her social media handle. She also asked party workers to reach out to the poor and needy and help them fight the battle amid the coronavirus crisis.

 

 

Born on April 14th, 1891 in a small town of Madhya Pradesh, the protector of Dalit rights, Babasaheb BR Ambedkar was bestowed with the Bharat Ratna award posthumously on March 31, 1990. His birth anniversary is celebrated as a public holiday across the country. Every year this day, Ambedkar Jayanti processions are carried out by his followers at various locations across the country. Prominent leaders of major political parties along with the President and PM, pay homage at the statue of Ambedkar at the Parliament. However, as the country is currently struggling to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus this year, leaders of the political parties have asked their workers to spread awareness and help the needy.

 

 

In 2015, PM Narendra Modi by a gazette notification announced 26th November as Constitution Day while laying the foundation stone of the BR Ambedkar’s Statue of equality memorial in Mumbai. Since then it has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India. The year of 2015 was the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar, who had chaired the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly and played a pivotal role in the drafting of the constitution. The Ministry of Affairs then directed all overseas Indian schools to celebrate 26th November as Constitution Day and directed embassies to translate the constitution into the local language of that nation and distribute it to various academies and faculties of Indology.