Lakhs of Dalits pay homage to icon Ambedkar

Mumbai, Dec 6 (UNI) The venue at Shivaji Park's 'Chaityabhoomi', in Central Mumbai, where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's ashes are kept, wore a festive look as lakhs of people from across the country, and specially from the heartland of Maharashtra today poured in to pay their homage to the Dalit icon on his 50th death anniversary.

Dr Ambedkar is credited with bringing rapid social-economic changes in the lives of lakhs of Dalits during his life time, through constitutional changes and other welfare policies in independent India.

In the backdrop of the Khairlanji massacre and the subsequent dalit fury against the government machinery, the administration turned the venue into a high security fortress with police patrol parties and jawans of the State Reserve Police Force maintaining a tight vigil at all the nine approach road's leading to the venue.

The Dadar station too had fewer commuters on its premises during the early hours. However, as the day progressed, Ambedkar followers began to swarm the station in batches.

At Shivaji Park, pandals erected by several Dalit organisations served water to the crowds.

Several associations such as the State bank of India SC/ST Employees Association, All India Canara Bank SC/ST Employees Association, All India Bank of Maharashtra SC/ST Employees Association and a host of other pandals were lined up all along the approach roads towards the venue expressing solidarity and support to Ambedkar's dream.

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