Sonia Gandhi pays homage to B R Ambedkar

NEW DELHI: Describing B R Ambedkar as one of the greatest icons of modern India, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today recalled his contribution across every field of national development on his 125th birth anniversary.

"One of the greatest icons of modern India, Dr Ambedkar's contribution is spread across every field of national development.

"His faith in democracy, which he shared with Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel and other stalwarts of the freedom movement, is one of his proud legacies to our country," she said in a message.

Quoting Ambedkar's words in the last session of the Constituent Assembly, Gandhi said the Constitution has given us not just a political democracy, but also a social democracy, guaranteeing equality of all and empowerment of the weak and the marginalised.

"The Indian Constitution, drafted by Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, is a unique affirmation of fundamental human rights. ... India's unique experiment of social and economic transformation through peaceful and democratic means holds lessons for all societies in transition and for all nations divided by social and economic disparities and discrimination," she said.