Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday conducted a meeting of party's Uttar Pradesh leaders in Lucknow for preparation of 'Bharat Bachao'&nbsp;rally.

Attending a meeting with the Uttar Pradesh Congress planning and strategy group, Priyanka discussed upcoming plans and strategies of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

She expressed great concern over the surge in cases of violence against females in Uttar Pradesh.

She also paid floral tributes to Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar on 'Mahaparinirvan Divas'&nbsp;at Uttar Pradesh Congress headquarters.

The rally of the Congress party which was scheduled to be held on November 30 has been postponed to December 14 in view of the ongoing winter session of the Parliament.

The 'Bharat Bachao'&nbsp;rally will be the culmination of district-level and state-level protests by the party against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre.

Speaking about the rally, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had said, "It will be a massive rally to highlight anti-people policies of the central government and people-oriented issues."

"We have decided to hold the rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. It has been decided to name it as 'Bharat Bachao Rally'&nbsp;because the people are suffering," he had said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday conducted a meeting of party's Uttar Pradesh leaders in Lucknow for preparation of 'Bharat Bachao' rally. Attending a meeting with the Uttar Pradesh Congress planning and strategy group, Priyanka discussed upcoming plans and strategies of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday conducted a meeting of party's Uttar Pradesh leaders in Lucknow for preparation of 'Bharat Bachao' rally. Attending a meeting with the Uttar Pradesh Congress planning and strategy group, Priyanka discussed upcoming plans and strategies of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. She expressed great concern over the surge in cases of violence against females in Uttar Pradesh. She also paid floral tributes to Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar on 'Mahaparinirvan Divas' at Uttar Pradesh Congress headquarters. The rally of the Congress party which was scheduled to be held on November 30 has been postponed to December 14 in view of the ongoing winter session of the Parliament. The 'Bharat Bachao' rally will be the culmination of district-level and state-level protests by the party against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre. Speaking about the rally, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal had said, "It will be a massive rally to highlight anti-people policies of the central government and people-oriented issues." "We have decided to hold the rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. It has been decided to name it as 'Bharat Bachao Rally' because the people are suffering," he had said.

Priyanka Gandhi holds meeting with UP Congress leaders to discuss 'Bharat Bachao' rally preparations

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar - father of Indian Constitution: Celebrating his 128th birth anniversary

The statue of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar which was recently vandalised by miscreants in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh has been rebuilt and installed.

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Badaun: A BR Ambedkar statue which was vandalized recently has been rebuilt and painted saffron in colour <a href="https://t.co/saW7U9BBUi">pic.twitter.com/saW7U9BBUi</a>
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The rebuilt statue, however,&nbsp;left many people surprised as it is painted in saffron colour. The previous statue&nbsp;of BR Ambedkar was&nbsp;blue in colour.

The previous statue was vandalized last Friday reportedly by miscreants in the presence of police officers.

Following the protest from locals, the statue was rebuilt in Agra by the state administration.

Last month the state government invited criticism after&nbsp;it changed the name of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-up-ambedkar-to-now-be-called-bhimrao-ramji-126992">Bhiramrao</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-up-ambedkar-to-now-be-called-bhimrao-ramji-126992"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-up-ambedkar-to-now-be-called-bhimrao-ramji-126992">Amedkar</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-up-ambedkar-to-now-be-called-bhimrao-ramji-126992"> to Bhiramo 'Ramji' Ambedkar</a> in government records. &nbsp;

The opposition Samajwadi Party accused the government of playing politics ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

SP leader Anurag Bhadoria charged the state government with politicising Ambedkar's name for attracting Dalit vote bank.

The rebuilt statue, however, left many people to surprise as it is painted in Saffron colour. The statues of BR Ambedkar are usually blue in colour

The statue of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar which was recently vandalised by miscreants in Badaun district of Uttar Pradesh has been rebuilt and installed. Badaun: A BR Ambedkar statue which was vandalized recently has been rebuilt and painted saffron in colour pic.twitter.com/saW7U9BBUi — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 10, 2018 × The rebuilt statue, however, left many people surprised as it is painted in saffron colour. The previous statue of BR Ambedkar was blue in colour. The previous statue was vandalized last Friday reportedly by miscreants in the presence of police officers. Following the protest from locals, the statue was rebuilt in Agra by the state administration. Last month the state government invited criticism after it changed the name of Bhiramrao Amedkar to Bhiramo 'Ramji' Ambedkar in government records. The opposition Samajwadi Party accused the government of playing politics ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. SP leader Anurag Bhadoria charged the state government with politicising Ambedkar's name for attracting Dalit vote bank.

Uttar Pradesh: Vandalised Ambedkar statue reinstalled in Badaun

BSP chief Mayawati today attacked the BJP claiming it should change its mindset towards the Dalits, Tribals and backward classes or else she would be forced to convert to Buddhism like Bhimrao Ambedkar.

&quot;I throw an open challenge to the BJP to change its casteist and communal mindset towards Dalits, Adivasis, Backwards and also those who have changed their religion or else I will also have to take a decision towards changing my religion to Buddhism,&quot; she said at a party rally here.

Recalling Ambedkar, she said that after witnessing discrimination in the &#39;varna vyawastha&#39; (caste system) in Hinduism, he had called on the Shankaracharyas and seers to modify it. Since it was not done, Ambedkar, a little before his death, converted to Buddhism in Nagpur along with his followers, she said.

The BSP chief said that she too is giving an opportunity to the Shankaracharyas, religious leaders and people associated with the BJP to change their thinking or else she too will convert to Buddhism at the right time along with crores of supporters.

Accusing the BJP of taking the &quot;casteist agenda&quot; of the RSS forward, she blamed it for the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad and the Una case of Gujarat where some Dalits were assaulted resulting in outrage and protests.

Charging the BJP with fielding a Dalit associated with the RSS as the presidential candidate to garner votes, she said that because of this, Congress and other opposition parties had also fielded a Dalit candidate.&nbsp;

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Recalling Ambedkar, she said that after witnessing discrimination in the 'varna vyawastha' (caste system) in Hinduism, he had called on the Shankaracharyas and seers to modify it.

BSP chief Mayawati today attacked the BJP claiming it should change its mindset towards the Dalits, Tribals and backward classes or else she would be forced to convert to Buddhism like Bhimrao Ambedkar. "I throw an open challenge to the BJP to change its casteist and communal mindset towards Dalits, Adivasis, Backwards and also those who have changed their religion or else I will also have to take a decision towards changing my religion to Buddhism," she said at a party rally here. Recalling Ambedkar, she said that after witnessing discrimination in the 'varna vyawastha' (caste system) in Hinduism, he had called on the Shankaracharyas and seers to modify it. Since it was not done, Ambedkar, a little before his death, converted to Buddhism in Nagpur along with his followers, she said. The BSP chief said that she too is giving an opportunity to the Shankaracharyas, religious leaders and people associated with the BJP to change their thinking or else she too will convert to Buddhism at the right time along with crores of supporters. Accusing the BJP of taking the "casteist agenda" of the RSS forward, she blamed it for the suicide of Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad and the Una case of Gujarat where some Dalits were assaulted resulting in outrage and protests. Charging the BJP with fielding a Dalit associated with the RSS as the presidential candidate to garner votes, she said that because of this, Congress and other opposition parties had also fielded a Dalit candidate.

Mayawati threatens to convert to Buddhism if BJP's mindset towards backwards doesn't change