An Open Letter to Ambedkarite Organizations – Time to Act

An Open Letter to Ambedkarite Organizations – Time to Act

Dear fellow Ambedkarites,

The State of British Columbia of Canada declared the month of April as “Month of Dalit History” in recognition of Babasaheb Ambedkar, Jyotirao Phule, Babu Mangooram Mugowalia and Sant Ram Udasi. It was an appreciable gesture towards the lofty ideals of equality and
fraternity. It is just a matter of coincidence that for me too, in the month of April, remained fully dedicated to the greatest son of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, in my blogs. This is fourth in a row before the close of the month.

Ambedkar was celebrated throughout India and abroad also on his birth anniversary on April 14 and rightly so. Several cities and provinces in Canada and USA declared April 14 as “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality”. The City of Coventry in the UK celebrated April 14 as “International Day of Equality”. Indian High Commission in London celebrated the birth anniversary of the greatest son of India in liaison with Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organisations (FABO) of UK. My immediate provocation to write again on Ambedkar came from the timely action of FABO in submitting a letter to Her Excellency High Commissioner of India, Ms. Gaitri Kumar urging her to convey and communicate their support to the proposal of April 14 as International Day of Equality resting with the Government of India in the Ministry of External
Affairs since June, 2015. It is gratifying to note that the esteemed paper The Asian Independent of UK carried a detailed story on the subject which may be read at: https://theasianindependent.co.uk/call-to-declare-ambedkar-birthday-as-an-international-day-of-equality/?fbclid=IwAR32OeaHiNkfg5ZiSA8b0MEFqFrp3MXH2ZECSLdxRg4qs8ShagaWuOTXIfc

One may see that things are moving fast. Many positive developments are taking place. We are approaching our goal, slowly but steadily. Government of India is yet to wake up from unintended or intentional slumber. We are to keep our guard and keep pursuing the proposal on International Day of Equality – Rang Laygi Hamari Fakamasti Ek Din. The mantra of struggle and success given by our leader: Educate – Organize – Agitate is our guiding spirit. The purpose of this open letter to the Amedkarite Organisations is to urge them to kindly consider and follow suit in line with the action taken by FABO of UK by writing to the respective Indian Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Consulate Generals abroad and to EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and PM Narendra Modi in India and request them to make an appropriate demarche to the UN for declaring April 14 as International Day of Equality.

International Non-Violence Day in Minsk Belarus

With a view to explain the matter a bit further, let me reiterate here that our proposal on International Day of Equality has no political connotations. It is a simple and straight suggestive and persuasive proposal to get due recognition to the son of the soil, Babasaheb Ambedkar on one hand and contribute positively to the lofty ideals
of ‘Equitable World Order’ in line with the ‘Soft Diplomacy’ which is the hallmark of the foreign policy of India. India’s initiatives to get October 2, birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, as the International Day of Non-violence and June 21 as International Day of Yoga were much appreciated by the international community. We are confident that

Yoga by Ambassador Devyani Khobragade

the proposed International Day of Equality on the birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar will further enhance the international prestige of India in pursuance of its ‘Cultural and Humanistic Diplomacy’.  Let us hope that the Government of India under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi would rise to the occasion and take the matter to the world body, the UN at New York in the run up to the forthcoming UNGA in September, 2022.

It is time to act. Kindly consider and persuade the GOI to take an early decision in this regard and get another feather in its cap (Pagdi) in commensurate with the growing profile of India.

With regards,

Yours truly,

(Ramesh Chander)

Ambassador – IFS (Retired)