Lakhs of Ambedkar followers pay tributes at Chaityabhoomi

Mumbai, Dec 6 (UNI) Lakhs of followers of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar today converged at Chaityabhoomi, a national memorial built in his honour at Shivaji Park in Central Mumbai, to pay homage to the Dalit leader on the occasion of his 50th death anniversary.

Maharashtra social welfare minister Chandrakant Handore was present at Chaityabhoomi to oversee the arrangements for the people who had come from across the state to pay tributes to the leader.

Police had made elaborate security arrangements for the day and traffic was diverted at Shivaji Park to ensure people had no problems in reaching Chaityabhoomi.

Former MP and grandson of Dr Ambedkar Prakah Ambedkar visited Chaityabhoomi on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Republican Party of India has organised a rally this evening at Chaityabhoomi.Leaders of various RPI factions are expected to share the dais as the meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the Khairlanji incident in which four members of a dalit family were killed in Bhandara in September that set off violent protests.

Earlier, rich tributes were paid to Dr Ambedkar in the offices of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee at Tilak Bhavan and Nationalist Congress Party.

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