Congress plans to cash in on Ambedkar memorial decision

After releasing land for the long-pending memorial to Dalit leader Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Congress plans to hold a public meeting to be addressed by party chief Sonia Gandhi in Mumbai on its foundation day to claim credit for  the decision.

State Congress leaders said they plan to make the foundation day public meeting an annual feature like the Shiv Sena’s Dusshera rally.

A Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) leader told DNA that the Congress working committee will hold a Vachanpurti Melawa at Somaiya grounds in Sion on December 28 and were trying to get Gandhi to address the public.

“In the public meeting, we will highlight how we managed to get the Indu Mill land for the Ambedkar memorial. This is an issue that can be encashed by the Congress as the party took diligent attempts for years before it was done,” he said.

Dalit leaders like Republican Party of India (Athavale) president Ramdas Athavale were also trying to claim credit for the move.

“This is like kicking off the run-up to our poll campaign for the Lok Sabha elections,” said the Congress functionary. “The Congress functionaries in Maharashtra feel the meeting should happen here as the party was set up in Mumbai.”

The rally will also focus on the Centre’s decision to bring in FDI in the retail sector which it claims will benefit agriculturists and consumers.