Addressing a massive rally of followers of Dr B R Ambedkar at Deekshabhoomi here on Thursday, he said the government lacked the requisite strength in Parliament to carry out their designs. He pointed out that the Constitution drafted by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar had stood the test of time and kept democracy alive in the country for 50 years. `Bhimshakti' would certainly triumph over the reactionary forces in this regard, he declared. Followers of Dr Ambedkar from all over the country assembled at Deekshabhoomi to celebrate the 42nd anniversary of their embracing Buddhism. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh was the chief guest at the rally chaired by Lok Sabha member R S Gavai.

In an apparent reference to the Congress-Republican Party alliance for the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra, Pawar saidthe unity of `Bhimshakti' had led to the victory of four RPI candidates. This unity must be maintained at all costs to checkmate communal forces, he added. He said that like Abraham Lincon and Martin Luther King, Dr Ambedkar inspired the downtrodden to fight against injustice and to lead a life of dignity. It was surprising that some people chose to oppose the naming of a university after Dr Ambedkar, he remarked without referring to the controversy over the renaming the Marathwada university.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh said his government was planning a grand memorial to Dr Ambedkar at his birthplace Mahu in Madhya Pradesh. He disclosed that Pawar during his tenure as defence minister had allotted the land for the memorial in the Mahu cantonment area. Singh said that Nagpur hosted two rallies on the Dassehra day -- one by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and the other by followers of Dr Ambedkar. The two rallies displayed a sharp contrast between social and political thinking of thepeople, he added.