Six lakh dalits to pay homage to Ambedkar

MUMBAI: Nearly one lakh dalits arrived in Mumbai on Thursday to pay homage to Babasaheb Ambedkar on his death anniversary and the number is expected to swell to six lakhs on Friday, the Maha Parinirwan day.
Suhas Sonawane, a former official of the Maharashtra legislature and researcher on Dr Ambedkar does not view this homage as deification of the leader.He said that the people suffer much hardships to come here because they want to express their gratitude to a leader who gave them dignity and made them aware of their rights.
Dalits now come from different parts of the country, not only from Maharashtra. On Thursday a number of dalits from Delhi were camping at Ambedkar Bhavan at Dadar, said Mahesh Bharatiya, an associate of Prakash Ambedkar, MP, and grandson of Mr Ambedkar.
Despite the large numbers, the dalits are highly disciplined. In keeping with the solemnity of the occasion, they patiently wait for hours in a winding queue of nearly three kms to pay homage at the memorial of Mr Ambedkar at Chaitya Bhoomi on the seafront at Dadar.
Nearly 500 trained volunteers guide the visitors. Chaotic scenes are now a thing of the past as the municipal corporation has started providing adequate facilities for sanitation, bath, drinking water and shelter for nearly 50,000 people in temporary pandals at Shivaji Park.
A large number of dalits also now live with their relatives all over Mumbai, Kalyan and Navi Mumbai and many are accommodated by Buddha Vihars, where they are given free food and shelter. This reduces pressure on Shivaji Park. However, friction takes place during the journey to and from Mumbai as thousands gatecrash into reserved compartments.
Central Railway has organised two special trains between Nagpur and Mumbai but these cannot cope with the demand.
In contrast to the enthusiasm and devotion of the deprived sections is the behaviour of some middle class dalits who now feel awkward about their dalit identity, said Sambhaji Bhagat, a radical singer.
Some want to hide their dalit identity and some others have relegated the portrait of Mr Ambedkar from the drawing room to the kitchen or bed-room. The trend is particularly noticeable among middle-class dalit youths, said Suhas Sonawane.
However, several dalit officers from the IAS and other services proudly identify themselves with the Ambedkarite tradition.
Bhalchandra Mungekar, vice-chancellor of Mumbai university, said Mr Ambedkar rendered great service to dalits and others by setting up the People''s Education society and starting colleges, but few dalit leaders have followed suit. Only a few like R.S. Gavai and N.K. Tirpude set up colleges in Vidarbha while Western Maharashtra and Konkan have drawn a blank.
A controversy has arisen in the last few days over the state government''s decision to give a grant of Rs three crore for building a memorial to Mr Ambedkar on the seafront near Shivaji Park.
Some local residents have obtained a stay from the Mumbai high court protesting against the proposed reclamation from the sea for the project. Sulekha Kumbhar, minister of state for water resources, said she would join the litigation in her capacity as an Ambedkar supporter.