BJP, Dalit leaders compete over Ambedkar birthday
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to lock horns with Dalit organisations, as well as Opposition parties, over the celebration of B R Ambedkar’s birth anniversary on Saturday. All sides plan to organise competing events to honour the Dalit icon and the architect of the Constitution.
The BJP has asked its workers and leaders to visit 21,000 villages and spend a night in Dalit homes. Dalit leaders said they would demand April 14 was observed as “Protect Constitution Day”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate a memorial to Ambedkar in New Delhi next week. His party workers will spread information about his government’s social schemes.
Dalit leaders on Thursday demanded the Centre issue an ordinance on the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which a Supreme Court order of March 20 has diluted. The Centre on Thursday told the court that its recent judgment on the Act has “diluted” the provisions of the law, resulting in “great damage” to the country. The government said the “confusion” could be corrected by reviewing the judgment.
Dalit leaders, including Prakash Ambedkar, Srinivas Rao and Ashok Bharti, also demanded the Centre include the Act in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. The Ninth Schedule provides protection to legislation from judicial scrutiny. Prakash Ambedkar said the government should bring in a law in the Monsoon session of Parliament to ensure adequate representation of Dalits and tribals in the judiciary, adding that Dalits would launch protests if Modi failed to announce these decisions at his Independence Day speech this year.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked states to take measures to prevent any untoward incidents on Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. But Dalit leaders ruled out any protest.