PM heaps praises on Ambedkar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that Dr. B.R. Ambedkar had made provisions in the Constitution for the protection of the rights of backward classes as he appealed to the people not to join the Naxals for securing their rights.

Addressing a gathering at Jangala town of Bijapur, the PM said, “ I want to tell the youngsters, who have chosen the path of violence, that he [Ambedkar] gave us a Constitution which takes complete care to protect your rights. It is the government’s responsibility to protect your rights. You don’t need to take up arms and destroy your lives.”

He asked the parents of those who had joined Naxalism to not hand over their children’s lives to the leaders who were keeping themselves safe while letting the locals die.

Attributing his own success to the Dr. Ambedkar, whose 127th birth anniversary was celebrated on Saturday, Mr. Modi said: “He played a big role in kindling aspirations of people like me. Ambedkar was highly educated. If he had wished, he would have lived a life of luxury but he didn’t do that. He came back and dedicated his life to the welfare of weaker sections,” the PM told the crowd mostly of tribals from interior areas of Bastar.

(With PTI inputs)