Date:15/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/15/stories/2007041506470500.htm

Karnataka - Bijapur

Tributes paid to Ambedkar

Staff Correspondent

BIJAPUR: The birth anniversary of Ambedkar was celebrated in the district on Saturday.

A procession was taken out from Bhoudh Vihar premises in Jalanagar locality. It passed through Bus Stand Road, Gandhi Chowk and Basaveshwar Chowk before reaching Ambedkar Chowk, where Minister for Textiles and district in-charge Appasaheb Pattanashetti joined the celebrations.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mohsin, zilla panchayat president Arjun

Rathod, and zilla panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rajiv Ranjan were present.

Later, they marched to Kandgal Hanmantharaya Kalamandira, where a function was hell under the aegis of district administration.

Banteji Bodhiratna, who inaugurated the function, said Dr. Ambedkar had tried to bring in social reforms with broader perspective. "He has been projected as the messiah of just Dalits. We should think why such a tall leader has been associated with a particular section of society," he said.

Mr. Pattanashetti said that Dr. Ambedkar and his thoughts should not be limited to a section of society. He had risen above caste and religion, and considered the welfare of the entire human kind. A sum of Rs. 50 lakh had been earmarked in the Budget for reprinting of Ambedkar's books and spreading his thoughts. Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had allocated a record sum of Rs. 2,900 crore for the welfare of the Scheduled Castes.

This was proof of the Government's commitment to welfare of Dalits. The money should be utilised properly so that the assistance reached the needy, he added.