“After taking the oath of office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that his government will focus on the poor and the marginalised; that his government will run on the concept of antyodaya given by Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, which is not very different from the vision of BR Ambedkar,” said Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, at the launch of the book Ambedkar and Modi: Reformer’s Ideas Performer’s Implementation (BlueKraft Digital Foundation), in New Delhi on Friday.

The book was launched by former President Ram Nath Kovind at the Nehru Memorial Museum & Library auditorium, in the presence of former Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan, and MoS I&B, L Murugan. Also present on the occasion were MoS Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal, former Union minister Harsh Vardhan, besides a host of BJP leaders and members of the RSS.

Calling the book “not just a collection of the ideas and vision of BR Ambedkar, but also a compilation of how the ideas have been executed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, Thakur said, “As the first Law Minister, Ambedkar had envisioned a society bereft of discrimination… that distributes the fruits of development equally to all, but the efforts of various governments since Independence fell short in the realisation of these ideas.”

He added, “Many have built statues of Ambedkar and garnered votes in his name, but if someone is implementing his vision for the marginalised, that is Prime Minister Modi.”

Ambedkar had said that education is the solution to all social evils, and today, in front of us are those personalities who illustrate this well, Thakur said, mentioning the names of former President Kovind, and President Droupadi Murmu in this regard.

The book features a foreword by Rajya Sabha MP Ilaiyaraaja, drawing a parallel with the policies implemented by Modi with Ambedkar’s vision. It has 12 chapters spread across domains such as infrastructure, education, socio-economic mobility, gender equality and self-reliance.

Kovind, in his speech, delved into the multifaceted persona of Ambedkar. Recalling his contributions in the formative years of Independent India, Kovind said, “Baba Saheb’s contributions shaped the policies related to banking, irrigation, electricity system, education system, labour management and revenue-sharing system.”

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He recalled the time in 2010 when Modi, as the chief minister of Gujarat, had organised a Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra in the state. “Atop a decorated elephant was mounted a copy of the Indian Constitution, while CM Modi was walking with the people on foot. There is no better example of reverence to the Constitution and respect to Baba Saheb Ambedkar,” he said.

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Drawing parallels between the vision of Ambedkar and the policies of Modi, Kovind said that the new education policy, which has stemmed from over two lakh ideas submitted from across the country, and which provides for education in one’s mother tongue is in line with Ambedkar’s ideas. “Four labour codes have replaced a multitude of complex laws, and a universal account number for labourers are also a fruition of the vision of Ambedkar,” he said.

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Justice Balakrishnan recalled Ambedkar’s contributions as one of the greatest thinkers of India. Before the event, Balakrishnan and Thakur inaugurated a three-day multimedia exhibition at the venue, focussing on the life, teachings and contributions of Ambedkar, organised by the Central Bureau of Communication. Aiming to give the visitors an immersive experience, the exhibition comprises digital interactive puzzles, RFID-based interactive displays, and a display of flipbooks.

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