An Open Letter to Candidates in the Lok Sabha Election, 2024 –
International Day of Equality
(SAMAJ WEEKLY)-
Dear Candidates – aspiring MPs and the Voters
You may be aware that I am the initiator of the proposal on April 14, birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar, as the International 
Day of Equality to be declared under the aegis of the UN. I made this proposal to the then EAM Sushma Swaraj in June, 2015 in the run up to celebrate 125th birth anniversary of one of the greatest sons of India, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as declared and observed by the GOI. Later this proposal was brought to the attention of PM Narendra Modi by the Forum of SC MPs under the stewardship of the then Speaker of Punjab Legislative Assembly, Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal in a Memorandum submitted to PM Nareandra Modi in November, 2015. Accordingly, for the first time, the birthday of Babasaheb Ambedkar was celebrated at the UN in New Year in April, 2016. The proposal on International Day of Equality was duly made and appreciated at the prestigious function. On return from New York, Speaker Atwal Sahib wrote to PM Narendra Modi and submitted his report informing the Hon’ble PM that the proposal was made and requested the GOI to take it to the UN through diplomatic channels. The rest is history. Most of the correspondence and related documents are available in my various blogs at: www.diplomatictitbits.blogspot.com and me perused. The proposal is resting in the cup-boards of MEA/PMO since then. I have been making some retrained and constrained noises but could not illicit any response from the MEA/PMO/GOI. The reason for this blissful silence could either be ignorance or arrogance. I am sorry to say.
The positive fallout of the noises, I made was that, by now, many states and cities in in the US, Canada, the UK among other countries had already declared April 14 as ‘Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Day of Equality’ and observe the day officially for the last many years. I will be failing in my duty if I don’t mention my interlocutors and supports abroad like Chetna Association of Canada, Federation of Ambedkarite and Buddhist Organizations of the UK and others who supported the proposal on International Day of Equality and interacted with their local counterparts to honour the iconic personality, Babasaheb Ambedkar.
It is surprising that in spite of the fact that all political parties are falling on each other to own Ambedkar but their response to the proposal to honour Babasaheb Ambedkar at the high pedestal of the UN is not getting their attention. With a view to address this lop-sided attitude of the politicians, I thought of addressing this open letter to all the candidates in the ongoing festival of democracy, Lok Sabha Elections, 2024. The response to my latest post on the Facebook has further provoked my imagination to explore further support to the proposal. I urge all the candidates to kindly consider and support the proposal on April 14 to be declared as International Day of Equality. It will not only honour the greatest votary of equality, Babasaheb Ambedkar but also further strengthen cultural and soft diplomacy of India on the lines of International Day of Non-violence and International Day of Yoga. Before I quote that post, I conclude this with an often repeated poetic assertion –
Har Dardmand Dil Ko Rona Mera Rula De
Behosh Jo Paden Hain Shayad Une Jaga De
I take this opportunity to wish all the candidates in the fray all the best.
Yours truly,
(Ramesh Chander)
Ambassador – IFS (Retired)
Jalandhar
