Government of Andhra Pradesh has constructed 125 feet tall statue of Dr B R Ambedkar at Vijayawada and it will be inaugurated on 19th January 2024. Regarding this, a day long state Conclave on Dr B R Ambedkar is organised on 17th January 2024 at Thummalapally Kalakshetram, Vijayawada. This is world’s tallest statue of Dr B R Ambedkar with a height of 125 feet on a pedestal of 85 feet, making the total height of 210 feet.
In the Inaugural session on 17th January, Senior IAS officer like Sri G Jaya Laxmi IAS, Principal Secretary, BC and SC Welfare, Sri Buditi Raja Sekher, IAS, Special Chief Secretary – PR & RD, Sri Laxmi, IAS, Special Chief Secretary, MA & UD and ministers of social welfare and education has participated as distinguished guests. This conclave organised with 3 important panel discussions i.e., Education Panel, Social Justice panel and Fraternity Panel. Eminent personalities have given their lectures and views in these panel discussions.
Social justice panel consisted of Sri Shobika S S, IAS, Director, MDM & School sanitation, School education who acted as a moderator. Sri Kancha Illaiah, academician and writer, Sri Akunuri Murali, IAS (Rtd), Sri Jhansi Geddam, Convener of Dalit Sthree Sakthi and Prof R Armstrong, Dean and Professor of University of Madras were the panel members for the discussion.
Jhansi, in her speech explained about Ambedkar legacy and his views about Social Justice. She was very happy to be a part of this enclave and applauded the Government of Andhra Pradesh for taking up a herculean task of organizing such events on the inauguration of world’s largest Dr B R Ambedkar’s Statue. She reminded the audience of how Ambedkar’s view on Social Justice has paved way for Articles 15,16 and 17 in the Constitution. Every other country has Article 14, which is Rule of Law stating that “The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India”. But keeping in mind the social stigmas and the caste hierarchy in India, Dr B R Ambedkar has framed Articles 15,16 and 17 which are considered to be additional frameworks for Social Justice. She took examples of women empowerment in Saudi Arabia, where women were encouraged to become cab drivers and there arised a movement making most of the women financially independent and working women. Nevertheless, this change in spheres of life has led to collapse in the family structure in the Arab countries, wrote many articles.
Jhansi questioned, why does a change in the social structure like women empowerment is not tolerated by the patriarch. Similarly, the change in the casteist hierarchy is also not being tolerated by the dominant communities. Such changes in the societal strata are not just possible by achieving transformation in singular aspects, instead the overall empowerment should be achieved socially, economically and politically. When the marginalised women and dalits are gradually achieving social justice, it is evidently visible that the dominant sections are unable to absorb this fact and such variations are resulting in social boycotts, massacres and atrocities. It is the need of the hour that along with the empowerment of the marginalised, the other sections of the society should also be educated to accept the change in the society. This inclusiveness forms a platform for social justice and thereby for a better society.
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