Hyderabad: Stating that Dr BR Ambedkar’s vision had delivered socio-economic justice to dalits, tribals and all sections in all fields, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao directed Ministers and officials that the unveiling of the 125-feet statue on April 14 should be organized in a grand manner wherein apart from Telangana, the entire nation should celebrate the occasion.
Dr BR Ambedkar with his foresight had incorporated Article 3 in the Constitution to facilitate formation of new States.
He paved the way for the formation of Telangana, the Chief Minister said at a review meeting on the arrangements for the unveiling programme and the public meeting to be held in connection.
Amidst the new Secretariat, Buddha Statue and Telangana’s Martyrs Memorial, the towering Ambedkar statue would continue to inspire and guide the administration, he said.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister recalled that ever since the decision was taken to install the statue and to ensure that it lasts forever, it took over two years to initiate technical measures for preparing the statue.
Having gathered all the information and knowledge from different countries, the most satisfying part was that the statue was made with indigenous technology and knowledge, he said.
“The statue came out well, much more than my imagination and expectations,” the Chief Minister said, appreciating the efforts by sculptor and Padma Bhushan Ram Vanji Sutar. He asked officials to extend a special invitation and to felicitate him.
The Chief Minister, who went into the minutest of details to plan for the unveiling programme, said people not only from Telangana, but fro across the country, would turn up for paying tributes to Ambedkar and wanted a wide variety of flowers to be arranged for the purpose.
Right from tents, water and buttermilk sachets in large numbers, the Chief Minister wanted the arrangements to continue for one month.
Recalling how he set up a Centre for Sustainable Studies to study Dalit lives, he said no other leader in the entire Asian continent had sacrificed in fighting the discrimination faced by dalits due to untouchability.
As for arrangements, he wanted officials to shower flowers on the statue through a helicopter, besides arranging a special crane for garlanding the statue.
Over 750 TSRTC buses were to be arranged for the people to arrive at the venue and lunch and dinner to be arranged on the outskirts of Hyderabad to avoid congestion in the city.
Since 300 people were expected from each of the 119 constituencies, over 40,000 seats were to be arranged at the venue.
Ambedkar’s great grandson Prakash Ambedkar would be invited as Special Invitee for the programme, which will commence at 2 pm and conclude at 5 pm.