PM Narendra Modi compares BR Ambedkar to Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday laid the foundation stone of BR Ambedkar National Memorial in Delhi, where he compared the architect of the Indian constitution to iconic civil rights leaders Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela. PM Modi said this while delivering the sixth annual Ambedkar Memorial lecture.

"It is a big mistake to label Baba sahib (only) a messiah of the Dalits," he said, adding, Ambedkar made several big contributions to independent India, including fighting the caste system.

The Modi government has been observing events to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar, a move criticized by the Opposition Congress that alleges that the national icon was given minimal attention by the ruling BJP for decades.

Here are the highlights of PM Modi's sixth annual Ambedkar Memorial lecture:

-Baba Saheb hame 1956 mein chhod gaye, aaj 60 saal ke baad smarak ki shuruaat ho rahi hai

-Babasaheb was the voice of the marginalised. He is a Vishwa Manav. Only talking about him with respect to India is injustice to him

-Ham Baba Saheb ko daliton ka masiha bana ke anyaay karte hain, Baba Saheb ko aise seemit na karein

-Wo har amanviya ghatna ke khilaaf awaz uthane wale mahapurush they

-The way Sardar Patel worked for Political unification, Baba Saheb Ambedkar worked for social unification

-Few people know about the reason why Dr. Ambedkar had to resign from ministry? This part of history is either forgotten or diluted

-When issue of equal rights to women came up, Babasaheb was clear that if women don't get equal rights I cant be a part of the ministry

-Baba Saheb Ambedkar was as iconic as Martin Luther King who fought for the oppressed

-Baba Saheb was messiah of all labourers, he was the architect of foundation labour laws

-Baba Saheb could never see anyone remain deprived/backward,not only Dalits but also women of Tata Birla families. Look at his vision

-There is a bill on waterways in Parliament but let me tell you this vision is of Dr. Ambedkar's.He believed in India's maritime strength

-Baba saheb ko laga ki agar Bhaarat ki naari ko haq nahi milta toh us sarkaar ka woh hissa bhi nahi ban sakte,unhone sarkaar chor di thi

-If Baba Saheb had served in govt for longer time, he could've done 60 years before what I did today

-Baba Saheb ka koi bhakt sarkar mein aata hai to 60 saal ke baad bhi kaam kaise hota hai ye nazar aata hai

-Hum log woh hain jinko kuch log bilkul pasand hi nahi karte,humein dekhna tak nahi chahte,unhe bukhaar aajata hai

-Aur bukhaar mein aadmi kuch bhi bol deta hai,mann ka aapa bhi kho deta hai

-Aur iss liye jhoot, anaap-shanaap baaton ko prachaarit kiya jaata hai

-When Vajpayee ji became PM, sections started saying reservation will go. He was PM for two terms nothing of that sort happened

-Nothing has ever happened to the reservation for Dalits, tribals, where we are in power but still this lies is spread to mislead

-Baba Saheb ko samajhne ke liye samaaj ke prati samvedna chahiye aur us mahapurush ke liye bhakti chahiye

-This is a right that nobody can snatch: PM speaks on reservations for Dalits, tribals and marginalised communities

-I have got an opportunity to fulfil Baba Saheb's dream. He left us in 1956. Today, after 60 years, a memorial is being set up

-60 years have passed! I don't know how we can explain this, but we have had to wait for 60 years for this

-Perhaps this was written in my fate. Perhaps I had blessings of Baba Saheb on me. I will inaugurate it on 14th April, 2018