British MP Appreciates Telangana CM For Installing Ambedkar Statue

Indian-origin British MP Virendra Sharma has praised Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao over the installation of a 125 ft-tall statue of B R Ambedkar here and hoped that he will join them in the UK soon and share the inspiration for the statue. Rao, popularly known as KCR, unveiled the 125 ft-tall statue of Ambedkar here on April 14. In a letter addressed to the Telangana Chief Minister, (which was released by the CMO on Saturday), Member of Parliament for Ealing, Virendra Sharma said "the construction of the new statue to B R Ambedkar is a great achievement and one I hope you and the entire state are proud of." 

"The history and works of Ambedkar are the story of India. Themes of tolerance, his stance for equality in society, and his thoughts, actions and extensive writing were way ahead of his time in the UK and India," the veteran MP said.  Sharma said the ideas Ambedkar espoused and shared shaped the modern constitution of India, prioritising development and plurality over outdated notions. As author and father of the Constitution he drafted the text for the continuation of the nation, he said.  "Ambedkar had a vision for the future we still have not fully realised," Sharma said. 

In the letter, Sharma further said he was proud to work closely with Telangana community organisations in the UK. "It is a particular pleasure to work closely with Uday Nagaraju, a son of Telangana, putting himself forward for election in the UK. They do fantastic work, not just for their own community, but to invigorate and enrich the social and cultural life of the entire United Kingdom and Telangana diaspora," he said. "I hope you will join us in the UK soon, and share the inspiration for the Hyderabad statue," Sharma added. Costing Rs 146.50 crore, the statue is made out of 360 tonnes of stainless steel and 114 tonnes of bronze.