From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 14: To honour the Architect of Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar, the Siddaramaiah-led Congress ministry in Karnataka has announced the State Government’s decision to name the Metro Station in front of the State’s seat of power – Vidhana Soudha – after the country’s tallest Dalit icon besides unveiling several schemes for the welfare of the Dalit community.
The State Government also declared that the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar as the "Ambedkar Year".
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah paid floral tributes to Dr Ambedkar’s statue in front of Vidhana Soudha on his birth anniversary on Thursday. He also presented the Dr B R Ambedkar Award to civil engineer Dr S Chinnaswamy Mamballi from Chamarajanagar district.
He announced that the State Government was considering establishment of Dr Ambedkar London School of Economics in the City.
He said the stretch under which the underground metro line is built has already been called Ambedkar Veedhi.
Moreover, Ambedkar statue has been installed on the premises of the Vidhana Soudha.
Therefore, it was apt to name the station in front of Vidhana Soudha after Dr Ambedkar, Siddaramaiah said.
The station, which is part of the underground stretch between the Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium and Magadi Road stretch, is likely to be opened to commuters this month end.
Earlier, the Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, demanded that the State Government should name the metro station in front of the State Secretariat after Dr Ambedkar.
The Chief Minister announced that a Basavalingappa Chair would be established in the Bangalore University in memory of former minister B Basavalingappa, a Dalit leader from Karnataka.
The State Government would also write to the Union Railway Ministry to name the Yeshwanthpur railway station after Dr Ambedkar, the Chief Minister said.
Stating that his government would conduct several programmes to mark 125th birth anniversary of father of Indian constitution, Siddaramaiah said a decision would be taken to provide reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in contract works of the State Government.
In the background of alleged data leak of caste census, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his ministers not to divide Dalits for vote bank politics.
Speaking at the 125th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar at the Banquet Hall of the State Secretariat, Kharge told the Chief Minister to make sincere efforts to unite the Dalits and work for the their welfare.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said Rs 19,452 crore has been set aside for the welfare of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in 2016-17.