Demands: Statue of Equality, research centre and library

As they now have the land, Dalit leaders have started making competing demands over the nature of the Ambedkar memorial.

Among the various suggestions are a “Statue of Equality” along the lines of the Statue of Liberty in New York, a nuclear energy research centre and an international library and research centre.

Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash, who heads Bharatiya Republican Paksha-Bahujan Mahasangh, said that in 1950-51, Dr Ambedkar had stressed the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. “A centre to research and propagate nuclear energy for peaceful purposes must be built there,” he said, adding that it should also represent the Dalit icon’s position on economic issues and religious tolerance.

NCP leader Vijay Kamble wants a research centre, a library, stupa for training bhikkhus and residential facilities for those who throng Chaityabhoomi on the land. “As the Samajik Samata Manch chief, I will select the head of the Chaityabhoomi Development Corporation.” He claimed that he was the first to demand the Indu Mill land.

RPI (Athavale) spokesperson and author Arjun Dangle suggested that an international-level study centre and library be built on the land besides a huge sea-facing “Statue of Equality” of Dr Ambedkar. He stressed that the centre should be a “power house” for research on Ambedkar’s work and writings, but opposed demands for a Vipassana centre and residential facilities.