Low turnout at Mumbai’s Dadar as most watch tribute ceremony to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar live on social media
However, many key political leaders visited Chaityabhoomi on Sunday to pay their tribute
Amid fears of the spread of coronavirus, Chaityabhoomi in Dadar, the cremation site of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, witnessed a low turnout of his followers on his death anniversary on Sunday. However, many key political leaders, including Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, his deputy Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and some state ministers, visited Chaityabhoomi on Sunday to pay their tribute.
Each year, more than 10 lakh followers of the architect of Indian Constitution throng Chaityabhoomi on December 6 to pay their respects, at the site which many consider holy. However, this year, the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) appealed to citizens to avoid visiting the site owing to the pandemic.
“The roads around Shivaji Park and Chaityabhoomi were literally empty. The last time we saw a low turnout on this date was in 2008, owing to the 26/11 terror attacks. Even then, there were around five lakh citizens who had arrived at the holy site. This year, however, not even 10% of that crowd was witnessed. This means citizens cooperated with authorities and did not go to the holy site,” a BMC official said.
No arrangements, such as temporary sheds, drinking water facility, mobile toilets, for visitors were made this year. The BMC had also prohibited around 500 stalls that are set up each year at the site to sell books, lamps, calendars, decorations, posters, T-shirts, watches and many other such items that bear an image of Dr Ambedkar.
BMC had facilitated a live broadcast of the tribute ceremony on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. According to the civic body, more than 7 lakh citizens from across the country watched the ceremony live on Facebook alone on Sunday morning.
The civic body had also directed the closure of the Global Vipassana Pagoda at Gorai between December 5 and 7 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. The pagoda is a meditation centre and also has a monument built as a tribute to Lord Gautama Buddha. Hundreds of followers of Dr Ambedkar, who visit Chaityabhoomi on his death anniversary, also visit the pagoda.
Meanwhile, Koshyari, who had visited the site said that while many countries of the world had high fatality rate owing to the pandemic, India managed to keep the maintain a low death count because of the spirit of compassion (karuna) shown by the people. “Compassion to fellow beings was preached by Bhagwan (Lord) Buddha and the same was propagated by Dr Ambedkar,” the Governor said.
CM Thackeray said Dr Ambedkar gave the nation the Constitution of India and brought about a social revolution in the country and gave a framework of discipline to his followers. “I would like to thank the people for observing discipline and not crowding at the Chaityabhoomi amid the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
His deputy Ajit Pawar said that the state government is committed to complete the construction of the grand memorial of Dr Ambedkar at Indu Mills within the stipulated time.
Later, Thackeray also inaugurated the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Research Centre for Social Justice at Mumbai University.
“We should not forget the contribution of Dr Ambedkar. To pay homage to his greatness, we are raising the height of his statue at Indu Mill. However, we cannot reach the height of his personality,” the CM said after the inauguration.