“People know who used to threaten the demolition of memorials of Dalit icons upon becoming the chief minister. They must explain why they remained silent when a Dalit youth was burnt in Bangladesh,” Adityanath said.Days after clearing the proposal in cabinet, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday virtually laid the foundation stone for the beautification and conservation of 75 statues of Dr BR Ambedkar across 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of the Dalit icon’s 135th birth anniversary.Addressing a programme to mark the occasion, CM Adityanath said that in the first phase of the initiative, one statue in each of the 75 districts will be covered, followed by all statues on public land. The initiative aims to protect the statues and allow people to pay respect without disruption.The chief minister also said that the government would honour social reformers like Sant Ravidas, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Maharshi Valmiki, and others, and highlighted that PAC battalions have been named after Veerangana Jhalkari Bai in Gorakhpur, Avanti Bai Lodhi in Badaun, and Uda Devi Pasi in Lucknow.Speaking about the government initiatives to honour the social reformers, Adityanath said that in Varanasi, a large park, a statue, a four-lane road, and a guest house were built at Sant Ravidas’s birthplace to accommodate large gatherings.He also said that action was taken against encroachments at Maharshi Valmiki’s site in Chitrakoot and several infrastructural development work was undertaken there, including roads and a ropeway. PM Narendra Modi also named the Ayodhya international airport after Maharshi Valmiki, he added.“The government is also developing the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar International Cultural and Research Centre in Lucknow. The first phase is nearly complete, and the second phase is expected by July,” he said, adding, the centre will provide research opportunities, hostels, an auditorium, and a grand statue, aimed at promoting social justice and awareness.The chief minister also slammed the Samajwadi Party and the Congress for allegedly “shedding crocodile tears” in the name of Ambedkar for “political interests”.Story continues below this adReferring to past incidents, he said, “The Samajwadi Party had revealed its true character through its brutal treatment of a woman at the State Guest House,” in an apparent reference to the 1995 state guest house incident in which SP workers had attacked BSP supremo Mayawati.He also criticised the Congress, alleging it had failed to honour Ambedkar by not bestowing the Bharat Ratna. He added that although the Congress now carries copies of the Constitution, their “true nature” must be understood.“Those shedding crocodile tears for Dalits should explain what they have actually done in Babasaheb’s name and what inspiration they have taken from his ideals,” he said.“People know who used to threaten the demolition of memorials of Dalit icons upon becoming the chief minister. They must explain why they remained silent when a Dalit youth was burnt in Bangladesh,” Adityanath said.Story continues below this ad“Ambedkar remained committed to India despite temptations, unlike Jogendra Nath Mandal,” he said, adding “disrespecting national symbols is equivalent to disrespecting Babasaheb.”