Every year on April 14, India celebrates the birth anniversary the architect of our constitution, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar who worked throughout his life to eliminate caste discrimination in India. This year, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav announced on Twitter that he and his party will celebrate Ambedkar's birth anniversary as 'Dalit Diwali'.
In his tweet, Akhilesh said that Ambedkar had given a new light to Independent India with the Constitution which the Bharatiya Janata Party has now eliminated. He said that in India as well as abroad, 'Dalit Diwali' will be celebrated by Samajwadis.
He wrote, "In the era of BJP's dark regime, th constitution with which Dr Babasaheb gave a new light to independent India, is in danger. Therefore,c on the 14th of April, the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar ji, the Samajwadi Party calls for celebrating 'Dalit Diwali' in the country and abroad."
This tweet has attracted a lot of negative attention. People are criticising Yadav for limiting Babasaheb's legacy to a Diwali. Many have showed their discontent at the idea od a Dalit Diwali as they believe that it further enables discrimination on the basis of caste. There are several tweets demanding an official apology from Yadav and scrapping of the idea.
Here's what the public reaction to the issue looks like.
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