Senior politicians from various parties and Dalit groups paid tributes to Dr B R Ambedkar on his 122nd birth anniversary in separate events in Puducherry on Sunday. A special function was also held at Pondicherry University on the occasion.
Assembly Speaker V Sabapathy, ministers P Rajavelu, N G Panneerselvam and T Thyagarajan as well as leaders of the Congress, AIADMK, DMK and CPI garlanded a statue of Dr Ambedkar at Bharathi Park. V Vaithilingam, Leader of the Opposition, PCC president A V Subramanian and former Congress ministers were among those who offered floral tributes in front of a portrait of Dr Ambedkar at the PCC office. Dalit groups organised rallies in memory of the father of the Indian constitution.
Meanwhile, officials of Pondicherry University paid tributes to Ambedkar by placing flowers and garlands on his statue in the university premises. Later, Vice-Chancellor Prof Chandra Krishnamurthy delivered the keynote speech at a special meeting attended by staff, faculty and students.
Registrar Dr J Sampath, director Prof M Ramadoss and deputy registrar K Chandramoorthy also spoke on the occasion.