State to rebuild Ambedkar hostel to placate Dalits

MUMBAI: In the backdrop of Dalit protests in the neighboring state of Gujarat, the Devendra Fadnavis led-BJP government of Maharashtra on Tuesday expressed its willingness

MUMBAI: In the backdrop of Dalit protests in the neighboring state of Gujarat, the Devendra Fadnavis led-BJP government of Maharashtra on Tuesday expressed its willingness to reconstruct Siddharth hostel, another property built by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the city through his People’s Education Society (PES) for students coming from other parts of the state. The move is seen as a desperate attempt by the state government to mollify Dalits after a string of caste-related violence.

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The architecture of Siddharth hostel at Wadala, which was demolished by the BMC in 2015, was prepared by Dr Ambedkar.

This is the second property the state government is ready to rebuild with its own expenses after Ambedkar Bhavan that was demolished last month by People’s Improvement Trust.

“The state government is ready to reconstruct hostel for students with its funds,” state social justice minister Rajkumar Badole announced in the Legislative Council on Tuesday.

Badole was replying to the demand made by NCP legislator Jaidev Gaikwad. Gaikwad said that trustees of PES were busy in fighting which resulted into the neglect towards the maintenance of the hostel.

He said that the government should come forward to rebuild the structure once again as students coming from other rural areas of the state have no alternative for accommodation.

“We will discuss the issue with trustees of PES and sort out the problems,” he assured.

The hostel was used by Namdeo Dhasal, founder of Dalit Panther, Ramdas Athavale, president of RPI (R) and other party leaders.