SP to celebrate Ambedkar birth anniv as ‘Dalit Deepawali’

LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party (SP) will celebrate April 14, the 130th birth anniversary of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, as ‘Dalit Deepawali’ across UP and the country.

The party leaders and workers will light lamps at their party offices, homes and Ambedkar statues, announced the party on Thursday.

“On the instruction of the party’s national president Akhilesh Yadav, the party will celebrate the day as Dalit Diwali across the state. In every district of the state and across the country, the party’s leaders and workers will light oil lamps at party offices, homes, public places and Ambedkar statues and pay homage to Ambedkar,” said the party’s state spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary in a statement.

“The lamp lighting would symbolise an attempt to dispel the darkness that engulfed the country under the BJP rule. Under the BJP rule, the Constitution is under threat. The Constitution given by Dr Ambedkar had dispelled the dark days,” said Chaudhary.

Chaudhary in the statement said that there was no doubt that at every step, the BJP government had shown contempt of the Constitution.

There was intolerance towards freedom of expression, freedom of religion and the spirit of social, economic, and political justice had been badly dented.

The BJP government was working with the aim of political vendetta, he said.

By celebrating April 14 as Dalit Deepawali, the party cadre would pledge to re-establish the democratic values as enunciated by Dr Ambedkar, he said in the statement.