Adityanath pays tribute to Ambedkar on death anniversary, takes veiled dig at Mohammad Ali Jauhar

Lucknow, Dec 6 (PTI) Remembering B R Ambedkar on his 69th birth anniversary, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed the architect of the Indian Constitution once said that comments made by a person who is born in India, consumes its facilities, yet considers India's soil as unholy can never be in the interest of Indians.

The chief minister was apparently referring to Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, a prominent figure of the Khilafat movement, who was buried in Jerusalem in 1931 according to his own wish.

Addressing a 'Mahaparinirvaan Diwas' (death anniversary) programme here, Adityanath said, "Babasaheb Ambedkar made us aware of the dangers of that time. Remember, a prominent leader, while serving as the president of the Congress in 1923, had refused to sing Vande Mataram. When his final moments arrived, he expressed his desire to die in Jerusalem.

“At that time, Babasaheb Ambedkar said that a person who is born on India's soil, has enjoyed its facilities, and yet considers India's soil as unholy, his comments can never be in the interest of Indians.” Mohammad Ali Jauhar had presided over the Kakinada session of the Congress in 1923.

Adityanath added that “unfortunately”, those taking to “appeasement” are not only harming India, but are also “insulting Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar”.

A part of their effort is also to deprive the countrymen of the different facilities, he claimed.

Adityanath also said the state government will build protective boundary walls around Ambedkar’s statues to safeguard them from vandalism.

“Today, our government is going to take another important decision. It has been noticed that some mischievous elements often make malicious attempts to vandalise statues of Babasaheb Ambedkar. But now our government will create a system to protect these statues by constructing boundary walls around them,” Adityanath said.

“If a statue does not have a roof over it, a canopy will be installed to ensure its safety,” he added.

The chief minister also said the government will complete connecting every slum, Dalit settlement, SC settlement, and tribal settlement, if any areas are still left unconnected.

“Although the rural and urban development departments have worked to complete these, if any areas remain unconnected, we will ensure they are fully connected,” he said.

The chief minister also said the government will ensure a guaranteed minimum honorarium for Class-IV employees, contract workers, and sanitation workers within the next couple of months.

He added that the ongoing ‘Zero Poverty Mission’ is being accelerated to ensure that no family in the state remains deprived of government benefits.

Identification of poor families from SC, ST, and the Most Backward Classes is nearly complete, he said.

Adityanath also said that Ambedkar rose from the grassroots and overcame immense social discrimination and traditional inequalities to open pathways of dignity and empowerment for the Dalits, the deprived, and the most backward communities.

“Babasaheb’s life teaches us that strength, perseverance, and education can change the world. His struggle ensured that millions received opportunities to live with dignity,” Adityanath said.

He added that the principles Ambedkar enshrined in the Constitution – justice, equality and fraternity – continue to guide governance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The double-engine government has ensured that every welfare scheme reaches its rightful beneficiaries without discrimination,” he said.

Deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and state minister Asim Arun also spoke on this occasion. PTI NAV ARI