Nagpur: Ruling Congress and opposition parties in Maharashtra Legislative Council united in their demand on Wednesday for expediting the process of setting up the memorial of B R Ambedkar on the Indu Mills land in Mumbai.
The winter session of Maharashtra legislature is currently underway at Nagpur.
The members also demanded setting up a special authority to expedite the process for constructing the memorial on the 12.5-acre land of now-defunct Indu Mills in Dadar.
The state government is taking over the land after the Centre recently okayed the memorial of dalit icon on the plot owned by the National Textile Corporation of India.
Initiating a discussion under Rule 260, Subhash Chavan, Hemant Takle, Bhai Jagtap (all Congress) and other members sought state funding for the project.
Manikrao Thakre (Congress) said it was a joint effort of all concerned to get the land from the government and hence any individual or organisation should not take the credit for the transfer of the land.
He suggested that a committee be set up under chief minister for the purpose of constructing the memorial.
"While government has already committed to provide necessary funds for the setting up of the memorial, a renowned architect should be appointed as a consultant to prepare a blueprint for the monument," Thakre said.
Subhash Chavan suggested that a statue bigger than that of the 'Statue of Liberty' in US be constructed for the dalit icon.
He demanded that a huge library, a research institute dedicated to Ambedkar and a community hall be constructed at the site.
Bhai Girkar of BJP said the government should not dilly-dally the process and come up with the structure at the earliest.
"There should be a university of Pali language on the line of Nalanda and Takshashila," he demanded.
Neelam Gorhe (SS), Jaideeprao Gaikwad, Ashish Shelar and others also spoke on the occasion.
The debate would also continue tomorrow.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 12, 2012, 23:33