While paying homage to B.R. Ambedkar on his birth anniversary, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated on Tuesday that the chief architect of the Constitution had been overlooked and marginalised by previous non-NDA administrations.
Majhi made these remarks during his address at the official state-level ceremony held to commemorate Ambedkar’s birth.
“Ambedkar was neglected and ignored by the previous non-NDA governments. Ambedkar’s fame and respect have been re-established after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister,” the chief minister said.
He pointed out that the Bharat Ratna, the nation’s highest civilian award, was conferred upon Ambedkar in 1990 by a central government that enjoyed the support of the BJP, he said.
“Prime Minister Modi has preserved and developed five key sites related with Dr. Ambedkar’s life, honouring them as ‘Panchteerth,'” Majhi noted.
He further stated that various flagship schemes under the Modi administration have successfully advanced Ambedkar’s dream of a society defined by justice and social equality.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Odisha government plans to build an ‘Ambedkar Bhavan’ in the Kharawela Nagar area of Bhubaneswar, though he provided no additional specifics.
“Ambedkar is not just a name, but an ideology. Baba Saheb fought his entire life to bring equality to society. The Indian Constitution has given equal rights and justice to every citizen of the country,” Majhi said.
“The state government has made programme to uplift dalits, tribals and backward classes. A prosperous Odisha is not possible without the uplift of the most backward classes of the society,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted that the 2026-27 state budget has earmarked over Rs 6,649 crore for the progress of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, adding that the government is also prioritizing the welfare of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups.
ଭାରତୀୟ ସମ୍ବିଧାନର ସ୍ଥପତି, ଭାରତରତ୍ନ ବାବା ସାହେବ ଡକ୍ଟର ଭୀମରାଓ ଆମ୍ବେଦକରଙ୍କ ଜୟନ୍ତୀ ଅବସରରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି ସଭାରେ ଯୋଗଦେଇ ତାଙ୍କର ସ୍ମୃତି ଚାରଣ କଲି। ବାବା ସାହେବଙ୍କ ସମତା ଓ ସାମାଜିକ ନ୍ୟାୟର ବିଚାରଧାରା ଆମ ପ୍ରଶାସନ ପାଇଁ ସଦାସର୍ବଦା ପଥପ୍ରଦର୍ଶକ ହୋଇ ରହିବ।
ଯଶସ୍ୱୀ ପ୍ରଧାନମନ୍ତ୍ରୀ ଶ୍ରୀ ନରେନ୍ଦ୍ର ମୋଦୀଜୀଙ୍କ… pic.twitter.com/ANI5tmDrdG
— Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) April 14, 2026
Earlier, Majhi garlanded a statue of Ambedkar in Keonjhar district.
While paying his tribute to Ambedkar, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati said, “As the head of the Constitution’s drafting committee, Ambedkar was instrumental in designing its framework and championed the rights of the underprivileged, leaving an indelible mark on India’s democratic foundations.”
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das, and the BJP’s state unit chief Manmohan Samal also paid tributes to Ambedkar.
Different political parties also held special events to mark the occasion.
