Kejriwal announces Dr Ambedkar scholarship for Dalit students ahead of polls

New Delhi: Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party’s national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced the ‘Dr Ambedkar Scholarship’ scheme which aims to empower children from the Dalit community to pursue higher education at universities worldwide without financial constraints.

Addressing a large public gathering here, Kejriwal said: “Today, in honour of Babasaheb Ambedkar, I am making a historic announcement. No child from the Dalit community should be deprived of quality education due to financial constraints. Under the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship, the Delhi government will cover all expenses, including tuition and travel, for Dalit students admitted to universities abroad.”

Under the scheme, meritorious students who want to pursue higher education in the fields of art, agriculture, law, medicine, engineering, etc, can apply for funds.

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The scheme reflects Babasaheb Ambedkar’s journey, who overcame poverty to earn degrees from prestigious international institutions. Kejriwal emphasised that the programme would ensure equal opportunities for Dalit students to achieve similar milestones.

Clarifying the scope of the initiative, he affirmed that children of government employees are also eligible for the scholarship. “This scheme is inclusive and aims to benefit every deserving student from the Dalit community, irrespective of their parents’ professional background,” he added.

His announcement came amid controversy over Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remark in Parliament about Ambedkar.

Kejriwal criticised Amit Shah alleging that his remarks in Parliament disrespected Babasaheb Ambedkar. “I am a proud admirer of Ambedkar. His contributions are unparalleled, and any insult to him hurts not only me but also crores of his followers,” he stated.

Controversy arose from Amit Shah’s address in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, December 17, during the debate on the Constitution. Hitting out at the Congress, Shah had said that invoking Ambedkar’s name has become a fashion.

Protests erupted after Amit Shah’s remarks with the opposition accusing him of insulting the Architect of the Constitution.