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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Delhi: Man held for making hoax call regarding bombs placed at Jama Masjid, Red Fort
New Delhi, Apr 17 (PTI): A 38-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly making a hoax call regarding bombs planted at the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort under the influence of alcohol, police said on Thursday.
Accused Asif made the threat call from a mobile phone he had found in Uttrakhand's Roorkee and used a lost SIM card in an attempt to evade identification, they added.
On April 10, a call was received on emergency helpline number 112, claiming that bombs were planted at the two prominent locations, following which a case under the relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at the Jama Masjid police station, a senior police officer said.
Investigators used digital forensics, technical surveillance, IMEI tracking, call detail records (CDRs) and CCTV analysis to identify the source, he added.
The mobile number was traced to a man named Saddam from Ghaziabad, who had reported that his phone was lost in Kaler, Roorkee, on April 6. Further surveillance led police to Asif, who had found the phone and was using it. He had since vacated his Karawal Nagar residence.
After extensive efforts, the accused was apprehended near the Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) Hospital around 11 pm on April 14. During interrogation, he confessed to making the hoax call from the Paharganj area under the influence of alcohol, the officer said.
He later broke the SIM card and disposed it of to cover his tracks, he said, adding that the mobile phone used in the offence has been seized.
