Cong committed to protection of constitutional values: Kharge on Ambedkar's birth anniversary
New Delhi (PTI): On B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary, the Congress on Monday reiterated its commitment to his idea of social justice and said that it takes an "oath" to always remain committed to the protection of constitutional values and democracy.
Ambedkar is recognised for his lifelong struggle for the empowerment of Scheduled Castes and his key role in drafting the Constitution.
Born in a Dalit family in 1891, he was a brilliant student who went on to study in foreign countries. The discrimination he suffered in Indian society turned him into a committed social reformer. He was India's first law minister. He died in 1956.
In a post in Hindi on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar gave the people of the country the Constitution of India based on the democratic values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, which is the most powerful tool for social justice and inclusive development."
Ambedkar described inclusiveness as his ultimate duty for the progress and unity of the country and strongly emphasised protecting the rights of all, Kharge said.
"On his 135th birth anniversary, we reiterate our unwavering commitment to his ideas of social change and social justice. The Congress party takes an oath that we will always remain committed to the protection of constitutional values and the protection of democracy," he said.
Paying tributes to Ambedkar, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi said his struggle and contribution to strengthening the country's democracy and ensuring equal rights for every Indian "will always guide us in the fight to protect the Constitution".
"Tributes to Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, on his birth anniversary," Gandhi said on X.
"His contribution to and struggle for strengthening the country's democracy, for equal rights of every Indian and for the participation of every section will always guide us in the fight to protect the Constitution," the former Congress president said.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra paid tributes to Ambedkar and called on people to pledge to protect the Constitution and its values under all circumstances.
"Tributes to the architect of the Constitution, the country's first law minister, Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar ji on his birth anniversary. Due to the tireless efforts of Babasaheb, we got our Constitution which guarantees social justice, equality, fraternity and human rights for every Indian," she said.
"Our Constitution is the protective shield of every Indian and today attempts are being made to break this protective shield. The Constitution is being weakened by the power of the government," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Come, let us pledge that we will protect Babasaheb's Constitution and its values under all circumstances," she said.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal also paid tributes to Ambedkar and said the Congress is dedicated to fulfilling his dream and bringing social justice to all deprived sections of society.
"I bow to the great reformer, the architect of our Constitution, Bharat Ratna Dr B R Ambedkar on the occasion of his birth anniversary. In an era of deep social divisions, in the shadows of millennia of brutal discrimination, he mustered the courage to fight injustices and give a bold, progressive and egalitarian vision," Venugopal said on X.
His role in shaping the Constitution cannot be forgotten today, at a time when the forces in power are "hell bent on subverting it", he said.
"But it is to his credit that despite their nefarious intentions, not only has the Constitution stood the test of time but its moral weight has forced even those who oppose it to bow before it," he added.
"As we have stated in our Nyay Path declaration, we are dedicated to fulfilling his dream and bringing social justice to all deprived sections of our society. Jai Bhim!" Venugopal said.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
