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All parties in Uttar Pradesh gear up to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti
After its victory in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP has directed its leaders and workers to observe the birth anniversary of Ambedkar as “Samrasta Diwas”
All prominent political parties in Uttar Pradesh have asked their workers to gear up for the 131st birth anniversary celebrations of Bhim Rao Ambedkar on Thursday (April 14). The parties which have issued such a directive include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Congress and the Bhim Army. .
After its victory in the recently concluded Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, the BJP has directed its leaders and workers to observe the birth anniversary of Ambedkar as “Samrasta Diwas”.
The BJP had made inroads into the Dalit vote bank of the BSP and the extremely backward class support base of the SP during the assembly elections.
Now, the BJP plans to consolidate its hold on the Dalit community by organising outreach programmes during Ambedkar Jayanti.
The BJP state unit has directed the district units to clean the statues of Ambedkar installed in the respective districts. Portraits of Ambedkar will be installed in the party offices, homes and public places. The party workers will offer tribute and organise seminars on the occasion.
The BJP workers will launch a sanitisation campaign , blood donation drive, besides organising health camps at community health centres and primary health centres across the state. They will also distribute fruits in hospitals and give books and stationery to schoolchildren.
Uttar Pradesh BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh said the party has launched a week-long social service programme from April 6 (foundation day of the BJP) to April 14 (birth anniversary of Bhimrao Ambedkar). All ministers, party MPs, MLAs, MLCs, state unit office bearers and leaders of various frontal organisations will participate in the programme in respective districts, he said.
Samajwadi Party state unit spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said party chief Akhilesh Yadav has directed the party leaders, office bearers of all the district units and frontal organisations to hold the birth anniversary celebrations with enthusiasm in the respective districts.
The SP leaders and workers will pay tribute to Ambedkar by lighting lamps at their residence, offices, shops and establishments on Thursday evening. They will create awareness among the people about the ideals and life of Ambedkar, his fight against social inequality and discrimination, Chaudhary said.
BSP chief Mayawati has directed the party’s division coordinators and district unit presidents to organise rallies and social programmes on the occasion. The rallies will be organised at the divisional headquarters across the state. The district unit presidents have been directed to make arrangements for the transportation of the party workers from districts to the divisonal headquarters, said a BSP leader.
Mayawati will visit the Ambedkar memorial in Lucknow on Thursday morning. Other party leaders and workers will also assemble there on Ambedkar Jayanati, he said.
The Congress has directed the party leaders and workers to organise programmes at party offices in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Bhim Army chief, Chandrashekhar Azad has directed the party workers to organise seminars. Bhim Army workers will assemble at Ambedkar statues at various spots in the cities and villages to pay floral tribute, he said.
A political observer, SK Srivastava said, political parties have mobilised resources to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti on Thursday in order to woo the Dalit community.
“The BJP is trying to maintain its hold on the Dalit community, whose support paved the way for the party’s big victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. The BSP that faced its worst drubbing in the assembly elections is working to regain its support base,” he said.
