April 14, Birth
Anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality – Road Map
to Pursue the Proposal
The birth anniversary of the greatest son of India, Babasaheb
Ambedkar , April 14, is being celebrated this year from the confines of our
homes in the lockdown imposed due to the deadly Corona Virus. There is no
option. We are to live with the situation with our fellow citizens and the
world at large. Let us use the occasion to reiterate our resolve to fight the
Corona Virus on one hand and fight many more viruses, like the graded
inequality, caste system, communalism etc. inflicting our society. It will be a
befitting tribute to the memory of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Now I come to the second resolve – our resolve to earnestly
pursue the proposal of April 14 as the International Day of Equality which I
humbly made to the Government of India through the then External Affairs
Minister Sushma Swaraj in my letter of June 12, 2015 in the run up to celebrate
the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The proposal was
duly acknowledged by the then JS (UNES) of the UN Division of the Ministry of
External Affairs vide his letter dated August 6, 2015. The proposal was pursued
With this background, Ambassador Ramesh Chander, the
initiator of the proposal, has been pursuing the issue, off and on, by letters
and e-mails to MEA and PMO. He also tried his best to alert and awaken the
political and social leadership namely Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Amit Shah,
Mohan Bhagwat , Behen Mayawati, several Ministers, Chief Minister and MPs like
Captain Amrinder Singh, Arvind Kejriwal, Sardar Parkash Singh Badal, Ram Vilas
Paswan, Thavar Chand Gehlot, Hardip Singh Puri, Vijay Sampla, Ramdass
Athawale, Chaudhary Santokh Singh, P.L.
Punia, Sushil Rinku, Pawan Tinu, Pargat Singh, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Lahori
Ram Balley among others. He also engaged with some outfits like
Federation of Ambedkar and Buddhist Organisations of London, Chetna Association
of Canada, The Ambedkar Times Group of Publications of California (USA), inter
alia while interacting with interested organizations and societies in and
around Jalandhar like Ambedkar Mission Society , Ambedkar Bhawan Trust, Guru
Ravidass Dham Bootan Mandi, Guru Ravidass Sthal at Khural Garh, Schedule caste
Entrepreneurs Empowerment Forum and also various educational institutions both
formally and informally to gain support for the proposal on International Day
of Equality. The
But let me hasten to write that Ambedkar’s legacy is so real
and potent that it is not easy to ignore it. I am happy to share with you with
a sense of satisfaction that the proposal to declare April 14 as International
Day of Equality has seen the light of the day partially, if not substantially
with a pleasant and positive development on April 6 happened at the City of
Burnaby in Canada with the
Coming back to the resolve, we would do our utmost to cajole
and convince the GOI and the international community to consider and accept the
proposal on the International Day of Equality in the larger interests of
humanity to bring about peace and harmony by establishing a just social and
economic world order which is also a cherished “Millennium Goal” of the UN. The
renewed efforts start on April 14, 2020 with added zeal and determination. Let
us join hands in this endeavor to flag and underline the lofty ideals of “Justice,
Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity, “enshrined in the very Preamble of the
constitution of India of which Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the chief architect. I humbly
suggest the following Road Map of action to carry forward the proposal:
·
Write
to Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, South Block, New Delhi with
copies endorsed to PM Narendra Modi, PMO, South Block, New Delhi.
E-mail of Dr. S. Jaishankar: eam@mea.gov.in
Draft Letter is enclosed as Appendix
to this write up. The letter may be amended, if required, to suit the
individual needs. The letter may be written either individually or by the
organization/association etc. to which one may belong.
·
We
will write to the State CMs to consider and request them to support the
proposal either writing to PM Narendra Modi or getting resolution passed by the
State Legislative Assembly of respective states.
·
Approach
and request the Forum of Schedule Caste MPs and MLAs to revisit the subject and
take up the issue appropriately with the GOI and PM Narendra Modi and also in
the Parliament.
·
Approach
and request Mahamahim President of India, Ram Nath Kovind to kindly consider
and give directives to the PM and GOI as deemed appropriate on the subject.
·
Approach
and request various outfits and organizations of the Indian Diasporas abroad to
consider and make a demarche to the State/County/Municipal Councils, in terms
of local requirements, with the request to support the proposal on
International Day of Equality as done by the City of Burnaby in Canada. My
humble advice in this regard is to kindly engage with Jai Birdi of Chetna
Association of Canada, who was instrumental in facilitating the Proclamation of
the City of Burnaby to celebrate April 14 as “Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of
Equality”.
·
Approach
and request our centers of spiritual and social oneness like the
Deras/Maths/Dhams/Vihars/Bhawans to hold and address special congregations to
generate the much needed awareness among the public on the subject.
·
We
should avail of all social media organs to take the proposal forward in the
absence of any media support from the national and regional media of India. Our
media persons and organs, however scarce they are, should come forward to fill
the gap. There is no other way.
·
Our
intelligentsia has an added responsibility in the process. Kindly arrange,
host, participate in specially organized Seminars/Panel
Discussion/Lectures in schools and
colleges, wherever possible, to gather much needed support to the proposal at
the grass roots, with the help of students and the members of the faculty and
management to motivate and make aware the younger generation. Also pass
resolutions in support of the proposal which may be forwarded to EAM Dr. S.
Jaishankar and PM Narendra Modi either directly or through the District
Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners.
This is not all. There may be many more innovative approaches
and modes which the stake holder in the project may like to adopt and act. I am
not a repository of all energy and knowledge. I count on my friends, associates and the
community at large. The task is too big. We are to stand up unitedly and get
the job done in declaring April 14 as International Day of Equality in the days
to come.
I conclude with a poetic expression to register our resolve:
तू पहले बात, फिर बात का अंदाज़ पैदा कर;
फिर दुनिया में तुझे कोई नज़र अंदाज़ कर नहीं सकता।
Greetings on the Ambedkar Jayanti, April 14.
---------------
Sample Draft Letter:
Draft Letter –
International Day of Equality
Date….
Hon’ble EAM Dr.
Jaishankar,
This is with reference to the proposal made by Ambassador
Ramesh Chander to your predecessor Late Smt. Sushma Swaraj on declaring April
14, the birth day of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as “International Day of Equality” on
June 12, 2015 (An acknowledgement dated August 6, 2015 received from the then
JS (UNES) in MEA is enclosed for ready reference). I am also enclosing herewith
the letter of June 12, 2015 addressed to the EAM Sushma Swaraj, containing the
proposal, for your kind perusal. Subsequent to this, in the run up to the
celebrations of the 125th anniversary of the great leader, Babasaheb
B.R. Ambedkar, Forum of Scheduled Caste MPs and MLAs under the leadership of
the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal took up the
matter with PM Narendra Modi and submitted a Memorandum in November, 2015
requesting him and the GOI to consider and make an official demarche to the UN
for declaring April 14 as “International Day of Equality” as proposed by
Ambassador Ramesh Chander. You must be aware, Sir, accordingly, when you were
the Foreign Secretary, for the first time the birth anniversary of Babasaheb
Ambedkar was celebrated at the UN in New York on April 14, 2016. Sardar
Charanjit Singh represented the GOI formally or informally with a high-power
delegation of other stake holders in the celebrations at the UN. It was much
appreciated not only by the followers of Dr. Ambedkar both in India and abroad
but also by the society at large. On return, Sardar Atwal submitted a report to
PM Narendra Modi in May, 2016 informing him of the proposed “International Day
of Equality” which was mentioned in his speech at the UN and requesting the PM
and GOI to take up the matter with the UN to get April 14 proclaimed as
“International Day of Equality”. The report of Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal is
enclosed herewith for ready reference and perusal.
The proposal is resting with the MEA/GOI. Much water has
flown, ever since, in the Ganges. You have graduated from Foreign Secretary to
EAM. PM Narendra Modi has come to power successively for the second term.
Ambasador Ramesh Chander has been reminding the EAM/MEA on the subject off and
on by letters and e-mails over the years while also involving the stake holders
in India and abroad and soliciting their support to the proposal. We are happy
to inform you (the official diplomatic channels/CGI Toronto/HCI Ottawa might
have informed you already) the proposal on International Day of Equality has
seen the light of the day partially, if not substantially. The City of Burnaby
of British Columbia in Canada has taken the lead by proclaiming on April 6,
2020 that the City of Burnaby will celebrate and observe April 14 as “Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar Day of Equality”. I am
enclosing the Proclamation of the City of Burnaby for your information and
perusal. You would appreciate, Sir, it is not only an honour to the greatest
son of India, Babasaheb Ambedkar, in the contemporary times, but a matter of pride
for India and the international community at large to establish an equitable
world order as one of the “Millennium Goals” of the UN.
With this background, we thought of taking up the matter with
you, Sir, and request you to kindly spare sometime and consider the proposal
and make a demarche to the UN to get April 14 declared as International Day of
Equality. Obviously, we would only be happy to see India taking a lead in the
matter and not leaving it to others.
We are confident, Sir, that our submissions would find due
consideration with you and the GOI.
With regards,
Yours truly,
( )
Dr. S. Jaishankar,
Minister of External Affairs,
South Block, NEW DELHI
Copy to: Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, PMO,
South Block, New Delhi
------
Text of the letter dated June 12, 2015 to EAM Sushma Swaraj:
Annexure 1 & 2
Text of the Letter to EAM
Sushma Swaraj –
Dear Madam,
I am one among the IFS
fraternity. After retirement in December, 2010, I have come back to my roots in
Jalandhar. As post retirement activities, I engage myself in educational and
social matters pertaining to the socially and economically weaker sections of
the society. I am a dalit and a humble follower of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. After the
Government’s decision to observe 125th Anniversary of Dr.
Ambedkar, I wrote to Foreign Secretary Dr. S. Jaishankar (copy enclosed for
kind perusal) and offered my services with regard to the programmes to be made
and conducted by the MEA in this regard.
The purpose of this letter
is to make a humble suggestion for your kind consideration. PM Narendra Modi’s
government, particularly you as the Minister of External Affairs, has given due
weightage to India’s “Soft Power” in diplomacy. The latest feather in your cap
is the International Yoga Day under the aegis of the UN. With a view to honour
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, one of the greatest sons of India, by celebrating his 125th Birth
Anniversary, the Government has taken a right and laudable decision. It will go
a long way in assuaging the ruffled feelings of millions of poor and socially
backward followers of the great leader. My humble submission is that it
will only be appropriate if India makes yet another proposal at the next UNGA
in September, 2015 to declare 14th April, birthday of Dr. B.R.
Ambedkar, as International Day of Equality. You would agree, Madam
Minister, that it would not only carry forward the UN goals of “Empowerment” of
the weaker sections of the world population but also instill the democratic values
of “Equality, Liberty and Fraternity” in the world order. These democratic and
humane values were dear to Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and his spiritual Guru Mahatma
Buddha, the greatest son of India.
I am confident that this
decision and action of the Government will be much appreciated by the weaker
sections of the society. It will also be a befitting tribute to the memory and
legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, messiah of the under privileged and neglected
sections of humanity at large.
With regards
Yours
sincerely
Ramesh
Chander)
Smt. Sushma Swaraj,
Minister of External
Affairs,
South Block, NEW DELHI –
1100
Admirable efforts
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