Delhi elections: Arvind Kejriwal announces scholarship for Dalit students amid Ambedkar row

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal

Weeks before the Assembly polls in Delhi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced a scholarship scheme named after Dr BR Ambedkar for higher education of Dalit students.

Kejriwal stated that he introduced the Dr Ambedkar Samman Scholarship as a response to what he called as BJP leader Amit Shah's "disrespectful" remarks about the father of the Constitution.

"...I want to ensure that no person from the Dalit community is deprived of higher education due to lack of funds, for this, I am announcing the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship," Kejriwal said.

"Now any student from the Dalit community who wants to study in top universities across the world, the Delhi government will bear their expenses after the admission of the students... This scholarship will also be applicable to government employees from the Dalit community... By announcing the Dr Ambedkar Scholarship, we are giving an answer to BJP and Union Home Minister Amit Shah who disrespected Dr BR Ambedkar," he added.

The announcement comes amid a massive controversy over the remarks of Shah in Rajya Sabha during a discussion on 75 years of Constitution. Shah criticised the Congress, claiming that the party had made invoking Ambedkar’s name a fashionable trend.

"If they had taken the name of god so many times instead of Ambedkar then they would have got heaven for 7 lives," he said.

Earlier today, Kejriwal took to X and said he would make a big announcement in honour of BR Ambedkar. "Amit Shah Ji and BJP insulted and mocked Baba Saheb in the Parliament. In response to this, today I am going to make a big announcement in honor of Baba Saheb," he wrote.

A few days back, Kejriwal announced 'Sanjeevani Yojana' scheme to provide free treatment to Delhi's elderly residents aged 60 and above. People aged above 60 years will be eligible for free treatment at any government or private hospital in Delhi, Kejriwal announced.

The schemes would be implemented if the party retains power in the national capital, set to go to polls in early 2025.