6.12.12

Babasaheb Ambedkar gets a memorial


The Centre has transferred the prime Indu Mill land in Mumbai to Maharashtra government for building a memorial to BR Ambedkar, an announcement that came in Parliament ahead of the crucial vote on FDI in retail.
Technical glitches and formalities are, however, expected to prolong the actual transfer process. Mantralaya officials say it can go up to a year to get possession of the mill land.
The Centre has asked the state government to submit a model plan of the memorial before the actual transfer of the land. The state has decided to appoint consultant and architect of international repute.
After the announcement, BSP chief Mayawati appeared unimpressed with only the 12.5 acre mill land being earmarked for the memorial and wanted more land to be allotted while Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan termed the decision on the eve of Ambedkar’s 55th death anniversary “historic”.
Political observers, however, feel the government decision to give the 12.5-acre land worth Rs. 11,000 crore for the memorial is purely a political move, ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Senior government officials said Chavan had been working for the past six months to materialise his promise. “We did not involve even BMC officials. Only a few state officials were working on this. We are happy that it has worked out on time as per the CM’s wish,” an official said.
Chavan said the urban development department has issued a notification changing the reservation of land from industrial use to memorial use.
Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, who secured land for the Dr B R Ambedkar memorial, seems to have made his mark, as his predecessors were unable to obtain the nod for the crucial project. This is being seen as his biggest political victory.
Chavan’s masterstroke will help the Congress to strengthen its ties with dalits, who have distanced themselves from the party on the grounds that they were ignored.
In the recent past, veteran dalit leader Ramdas Athavale, who was with the Congress or the NCP for well over two decades, snapped his ties with the DF government and joined hands with the saffron combine.



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