Nagaland State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan” at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, on Friday.
The event featured a state-level workshop comprising two key sessions on the topics, “From Neglect to Reverence: Betrayed by Congress, Honoured by BJP”, and “BJP vs Congress: A Tale of Constitutional Integrity vs Constitutional Sabotage.”
Addressing a section of media after the workshop, Member of Parliament and general secretary of BJP’s SC Morcha, Dr. Bhola Singh, said the Samman Abhiyan was aimed to honour the contributions of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and raise awareness against what he termed as a historical neglect by the Congress party.
He alleged that while the Congress was in power for over six decades after Independence, it failed to give Dr. Ambedkar the recognition he deserved.
He highlighted that Ambedkar, who championed the rights of the poor, women, and marginalized communities, faced humiliation from the Congress, including being forced to resign from Nehru’s cabinet and being denied proper recognition even in death.
He accused the Congress of deliberately undermining Ambedkar’s legacy, citing incidents such as denying him the Bharat Ratna during their tenure and sending his mortal remains to Mumbai via private arrangements, allegedly without state honours.
Meanwhile, Dr. Singh lauded the BJP, particularly the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for actively honouring Ambedkar’s legacy. He noted the establishment of five key sites connected to Ambedkar’s life as “Panch Teerth”, the construction of a memorial, and education centre in Delhi, and the official recognition of Constitution Day.
He also defended the BJP against accusations of undermining the Constitution, claiming that constitutional changes made by the Modi government were aimed at empowering marginalized sections, citing examples such as providing 10% EWS reservation, repealing Article 370, passing the Triple Talaq Act, and promoting women’s representation in Parliament.
He further asserted that the Congress had, in the past, misused constitutional provisions, citing the imposition of Emergency by Indira Gandhi and other actions taken by previous Congress-led governments.
He maintained that BJP’s governance focuses on social, economic, and political justice, reflecting Ambedkar’s vision. Highlighting the appointments of Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu, both of whom are from marginalized communities, as Presidents of India under BJP rule, Dr. Singh said this symbolized the party’s commitment to inclusive governance.
Concluding his address, he reaffirmed BJP’s slogan, “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas”.