BR Ambedkar’s death anniversary is the latest public holiday to be scrapped off from the Uttar Pradesh public holiday bank, reported Scroll.in. A circular was issued by the Lucknow District Magistrate stating that 6 December has been mistakenly included in the list of public holidays of the Lucknow District Collectorate.
“This holiday has not been declared by the administration. All offices will be open as usual on this day,” read the circular.
Ambedkar’s death anniversary was first declared a public holiday in Uttar Pradesh under the Bahujan Samaj Party government. It was rescinded in 2012. The Samajwadi Party government again declared it a holiday in 2015, Scroll.in reported.
Earlier this year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath scrapped 15 public holidays that commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of social figures. However, government employees will be able to avail these holidays using their restricted holiday quota, PTI reported.
Rich Tributes Pour In
On the eve of Ambedkar’s 61st death anniversary, tributes poured in from all corners.
President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to the architect of the Constitution at the Parliament House Lawns in Delhi.
“I bow to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar on his Mahaparinirvan Diwas,” the Prime Minister tweeted.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Thawar Chand Gehlot and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge also paid respects to the Dalit icon.
On this occasion, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi tweeted:
Men are mortal. So are ideas. An idea needs propagation as much as a plant needs watering. Otherwise, both will wither and die. My tributes to #BabasahebAmbedkar on #MahaParinirvana Diwas.
Thousands of followers who converged at the Ambedkar memorial, Chaitya Bhoomi, on his 61st death anniversary.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who visited the memorial near Shivaji Park in Mumbai, said work on Ambedkar’s memorial at the Indu Mill land will begin in a month.
Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao also paid tributes to the Dalit leader at Chaitya Bhoomi.
Despite recording the heaviest rain in December in Mumbai in 50 years, the followers of Ambedkar gathered from across the country at his memorial in Mumbai.
Those thronging the place shouted slogans like ‘Jai Bheem’ and ‘Babasaheb amar rahe’.
In a separate incident, three persons were injured on Tuesday, 5 December, when a pandal, set up for Ambedkar's followers at Shivaji Park, collapsed due to heavy rains.
(With inputs from PTI, Scroll)
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