NCP raises memorials delay issue, slams state

Mumbai: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) organised the ‘Bahujan Asmita Parishad’ in Pune on Sunday, where delay in building memorials of King Shivaji, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Annabhau Sathe were discussed at length. NCP leader Supriya Sule and Ajit Pawar participated in the meeting, protesting against the state government’s apathy to raise these memorials.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Indu Mill memorial in 2015. In 2016, he had done the bhumi pujan for the Shivaji memorial in the Arabian Sea. However, in both cases, the work has not yet started. As the demand of these memorials is a politically sensitive topic in the state, the NCP has again raised it now.

“This government is playing with the emotions of the people. They did bhumi pujan ahead of the elections in Bihar and the local body elections in the state. However, there is no sign of any work getting started. This government is against the idols of the bahujan society,” said NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

Supriya Sule also raised the issue of memorials along with the closure of government schools across the state. “Mahatma Phule and others fought for education for all, but this government is snatching away the right to education by closing such schools,” said Ms Sule.

The Shivaji Memorial in the Arabian Sea and Dr Ambedkar’s memorial at Indu Mill are the two issues, which are going on in state politics for quiet long. In the last three elections of state assembly, 2014, 2009 and 2004; all parties have promised to build these memorials.