The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today unveiled “the full and awesome range of historic conspiracies and untruths plotted and carried out by leaders of the Congress party before and after Independence to block the rise of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar to the top political and executive slot in the corridors of power. In a top-drawer address, worthy of archival placement in parliamentary and legislative history , the Chief Minister drew on historical references and records while paying rich tributes to Baba Saheb on his 125th birth anniversary. Addressing a packed Vidhan Sabha, the CM spoke with touching vehemence which was remarkable both for its deeply emotional tone and its marked departure from the routine, run-of-the-mill descriptions of Dr Ambedkar as “champion of Dalit Samaj.
There was nothing formal or ritualistic about Mr Badal’s homageto the Messianic visionary. He laid bare and flogged almost every age-old Congress myth of Ambedkar-Congress association and friendship. “ When Congress failed to stop him, they hijacked his legacy from his true heirs – the common people , especially the poor and the down-trodden,” said Mr Badal, and made an impassioned plea for correcting historical falsities on the iconic freedom fighter and Messiah. “The shocking truth is that Congress opposed Ambedkar Sahib’s presence in Constituent Assembly because they did not want a Dalit voice in the country’s destiny. They foiled Baba Saheb’s efforts even to become a Member of the Constituent Assembly from Maharashtra.Fortunately for India, he became a Member from Bengal as a non-Congress candidate,” said Mr Badal, adding that the Congress similarly opposed Baba Saheb in all the parliamentary elections too.
” Referring to the cosmopolitan vision and stature of Baba Saheb, the CM said that it was wrong to describe Dr Ambedkar merely as a Dalit Messiah, although he was that too. “ To call him a champion only of the Dalits in the country is to belittle the most outstanding stature of this rare genius. “The country owes its very existence as a sovereign, secular, socialist and democratic republic to the Dr Ambedkar’s vision and commitment. He is a global icon for fight against discrimination, exploitation or repression. He stands in the same class as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. It is only befitting that Baba Saheb‘s 125th Birth Anniversary is being observed by the UNO,” said Mr Badal.
The Chief Minister quoted liberally from Sikh scriptures and said,“At the social level, Sikhism is essentially a movement for Dalit dignity, honour and emanicipation. Ambedkar Sahib also retraced for us the path which was shown to us by the great Gurus . Mr Badal said that schemes such as atta daal, shagun scheme, Rs. 50,000 free treatment and 5 lakh free insurance, free 200 units of power, free quality education for children from the poor and the backward families – this is SAD-BJP’s way of paying homage to Dr Ambedkar ji,.These will continue during the next tenure also when people entrust us with that responsibility again.”