Cong MP to sit on symbolic fast on Ambedkar's death anniv

Eknath Gaikwad, an MP from Mumbai South Central constituency of Maharashtra is undertaking the fast to express his anguish over the delay in granting Indu Mill land in Mumbai for a grand memorial to the architect of Indian Constitution.

Despite assurances from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Gaekwad said he was not apportioning blame on anyone but wanted the memorial to come up soon on the 12.5 acre land of the now closed mill.

Meanwhile, the Centre today said a decision on transfer of land for construction of a memorial for Babasaheb Ambedkar in Mumbai, pending for long, is expected soon.

The issue came up for discussion during the meeting of Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan here.

When asked about reason for delay in land transfer, Sharma, who also holds additional charge of Textiles Ministry, said "the process is not so simple" as both the Centre and the state are involved.

The 12.5 acre Indu Mill land belongs to the Central government owned National Textiles Corporation, which falls under the Union Textiles ministry.

A committee comprising of top central and state government officials is working out on the modalities for the purpose.

The sea-facing plot adjacent to Chaityabhoomi, the final resting place of Ambedkar, is visited by lakhs of followers on his death anniversary every year.