BJYM to embark on nationwide harmony campaign from April 14

Members of the BJP's youth wing will embark on a nationwide campaign on the occasion B R Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14 to eradicate casteism and spread the message of harmony among different sections of the society.
According to campaign in-charge Abhijaat Mishra, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha's (BJYM) 'Samrasta Abhiyaan' (harmony campaign) will culminate on December 6 -- the death anniversary of Ambedkar.
Various programmes will be held during the seven-and-half months period. Final touches are being given to campaign and the entire schedule is likely to be made public by March 18, he told PTI.
Mishra, who is also the general secretary of BJYM, said the campaign would aim to "integrate people from different sections of the society".

"India is facing a number of problems. These include casteism, naxalism, terrorism and linguistic divide. These are some of the major reasons for the backwardness of the country. If these issues are effectively tackled, then we will definitely fulfil the dream of 'Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat' (One India, Best India) envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
The campaign in-charge said BJYM volunteers will contact every youth and make them realise that "samrasta (harmony) will eventually pave the way for nation building".

"We are also planning to hold samrasta bhoj (eating alongside Dalits and other marginalised sections of the society) in every state capital of the country. Similar events will be held in every Lok Sabha constituency, Assembly constituency and also at block and ward levels," Mishra said.

"During the campaign, we will also tie samrasta sootra (harmony bands) by visiting areas and localities dominated by scheduled castes. Public meetings will also be held during the campaign," he said.
Highlighting the evils of casteism, Mishra said, "Whether it is casteism or untouchability, both these evil entities have adversely affected and divided the Indian society. Foreign invaders had taken advantage of it. Our endeavour will be to take India out of the mess of casteism and the mentality which eventually leads to slavery ."
The BJYM campaign assumes significance in the backdrop of miscreants allegedly vandalising the statue of Ambedkar at a village in Azamgarh, adding to the string of such incidents in the country targeting political icons and social reformers.

This is the second incident of its kind in the state after a statue was vandalised on Wednesday in Meerut and was later replaced.
Similar incidents have also been reported from other parts of the country with statues of communist leader Vladimir Lenin, social reformer Ramasamy Periyar's and Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee being vandalised in recent days.