He also announced that November 26 would be celebrated as Constitution Day when each person would be made aware of the vast contributions of Ambedkar and his thoughts. Referring to Modi’s foreign tours, he said, “I know when ever you have gone overseas you evoke teachings of Gautam Buddha”.
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The BJP leader, who paid homage to Dr. Ambedkar at Chaityabhoomi, and laid the foundation stone of Dr Ambedkar memorial at Indu Mills in Dadar, devoted a considerable part of the speech to Dr Ambedkar.
This is something which Babasaheb Ambedkar has given us and no power can take it away, he said. Describing him as “Mahapurush”, Mr. Modi said the social reformer faced a life of hardship and constant struggle, but harboured no bitterness or sought revenge when he wrote the Constitution. “Just before every election the Opposition starts a debate on reservations. This is not politics”, PM Modi said.
“Lies are being spread that the government is out to scrap reservation system”, PM said.
Maintaining that the vibrancy of port sector was extremely important for the growth of an economy of a county with vast coast line, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Sunday that for India to make a mark for itself in the competitive world market, the Government would have to strengthen, expand, develop further and modenise the ports across the country. However, the entire Shiv Sena leadership starting from party president Uddhav Thackeray to city Mayor Snehal Ambekar boycotted the functions.
“We welcome the foundation stone laying ceremony of Ambedkar Memorial, the project initiated by the Congress-NCP Government”.
“States with maximum dalits, OBCs and adivasis have chosen the BJP government and this is an indicator that we are the chosen one to uplift them”.
“Fadnavis is a man with small heart”. He should have personally invited NCP president Sharad Pawar who had championed the cause of Indu Mills.
Architects Shashi Prabhu and Associates, which has been commissioned for the project, proposes to build the memorial on a sprawling 2.50 lakh sq ft area.
Unlike the Shiv Sena, all other BJP allies – Republican Party of India (Ramdas Athavale), Swabhimani Shetkari Sangthana (Raju Shetty) and Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (Mahadev Jankar) – attended the programme.
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The height of the Ambedkar statue will be 150 feet and the memorial will comprise a stupa which will be 140 feet in height and 110 metres in circumference.
