Cong, NCP did not provide land for Ambedkar memorial: CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged Sunday that the Congress and NCP, when in power, did not provide land in Mumbai for a memorial of Dr B R Ambedkar.

Speaking at the national convention of the BJP's Scheduled Caste Morcha here, Fadnavis came down heavily upon the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

"These leaders made so many memorials for their forefathers but Congress leaders could not give land for the father of Indian Constitution (Ambedkar)," he said.

"Because their eyes were set on the Indu Mill land and its FSI (floor space index, for commercial development), like they captured other (textile) mill lands in Mumbai," Fadnavis alleged.

Dalit organisations had been long demanding the land of the defunct Indu Mill -- which was with National Textile Corporation -- for the Ambedkar memorial.

"Congress, NCP and other political parties which ask for votes in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar did not give an inch of Indu Mill land for the memorial when they were in power in the Centre and Maharashtra," Fadnavis claimed.

"When Narendra Modi government came to power, I met prime minister Modi and told him of the demand.

"And Modi immediately called the textile minister and said the Maharashtra government should get the land in three days," Fadnavis said.