Date:16/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/16/stories/2006021612330400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

No monopoly over Ambedkar, says Governor

Staff Reporter

`He was for equal weightage to excellence and opportunity to deprived classes'

DEEP INTEREST: Governor T.N. Chaturvedi having a look at photographs in the new Ambedkar Museum and Library on Jnanabharati campus in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: Governor T.N. Chaturvedi on Wednesday said that B.R. Ambedkar or any other leader is not the monopoly of a particular class or group. Ambedkar's efforts for uplift of Dalits were only part of his larger endeavour to ensure social justice, the Governor said.

He was inaugurating the Ambedkar Museum and Library and two buildings for the Psychology Department and the University Law College, and laying the foundation stone for an additional women's hostel and Class IV quarters on Bangalore University's Jnanabharati campus here.

Reservation

Reservation, Mr. Chaturvedi said, was not intended to be continued indefinitely by Ambedkar as he believed "crutches cannot be cushion". However, the facility is still being implemented. He noted that Ambedkar was for equal weightage to excellence and opportunity to deprived classes.

The Governor said a great personality cannot be compared to another great man, as time, situation and contexts differ. No one is perfect, including the Almighty, he added.

Growth

Speaking about the strides made by the university, Mr. Chaturvedi commended Vice-Chancellor M.S. Thimmappa, who will retire soon. The university has achieved planned growth under the leadership of Dr. Thimmappa, who is ably assisted by his colleagues, the Governor said. Speaking earlier, Dr. Thimmappa announced that the university will offer diploma and certificate courses in Ambedkar studies and Dalit movement from the next academic year.

He said the courses will be offered at the university's Ambedkar Research and Study Centre. The Ambedkar Museum, which the Governor inaugurated, has rare photographs depicting Ambedkar's life and programmes besides a collection of handwritten documents, stamps and coins.

The library has a collection of about 1,500 volumes of books on themes such as Ambedkar studies, Dalit studies, and studies on deprived groups. The university plans to upgrade the library as a documentation centre with financial support from Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Foundation, New Delhi.

Registrar R.M.N. Sahay was present.