London (Asian Independent)- The approval of the Management Plan by the Camden Council on 2 December 2020 has seen the dream of many Ambedkarites in the UK and around the world for a Museum in London dedicated to Babasaheb Dr Ambedkar at a place where he lived during 1921-22 realised. All the Camden Council’s conditions attached for the museum status have been met. Now the long-awaited operation of the Ambedkar Museum can start.
The proposal to fund the purchase and turn this house into a fitting memorial for Dr Ambedkar began with a formal submission in September, 2014 by Ms Santosh Dass MBE on behalf of the Federation of Ambedkarites and Buddhist Organisations UK (FABO UK) to Shri Prithviraj Chavan, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. This followed an email by Mr Harbans Virdee, FABO UK of 29 August 2014 alerting the FABO UK team that the 10 King Henry’s Road was on the market for 3.1 million GB pounds. This bold initiate took a year of lobbying by Santosh from London, Mr R K Gaikwad and Mr Ramesh Katke in Maharashtra of key politicians, High Commission and the media. On 24 September 2015, the house was finally purchased by GOM. The intense media attention that started with a news article in The Telegraph in which Dean Nelson[1] interviewed Santosh Dass about FABO UK’s proposal all helped. On 14 November 2015 10KHR was inaugurated the Ambedkar House by the Prime Minister of India.
On 2 February 2017, over a year after the house was bought Mr Raj Kumar Badole, Minister for Social Justice, GOM, announced a seven-member Advisory Committee[2] tasked with developing the Ambedkar Memorial with India’s High Commissioner as Chair. FABO UK was represented by Santosh Dass MBE and Mr C Gautam on the Committee.
During the refurbishment of Ambedkar house to make it safe and secure, planning permission was sought from Camden Council to formally call the Ambedkar House a memorial/museum. The Council rejected the application and GOM lodged an appeal. Due to public interest, it was decided the Appeal would be heard in the form of a Public Inquiry. This was heard in September and October 2019. The Council argued Dr Ambedkar’s status wasn’t well enough known in Britain to be a person of wider interest, a museum on a residential street would be disruptive, and the loss of residential space would impact on their housing policy. The Chair of the Public Inquiry Chair, Inspector Mr. Keri Williams, and Mr. Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government who made the final decision were persuaded otherwise by the evidence and testimonies in support of the case for the memorial.
GOM had secured a good legal team and Santosh Dass was invited to advise them. FABO UK members helped to build up the case by producing testimonies and digging out the archival material regarding Dr Ambedkar’s connection with the house. The ‘blue plaque’ installed on the front wall of the house by the FABO UK during the centenary of Dr Ambedkar’s birth in 1991 played a crucial role in establishing the historicity of the building.
At the Public Inquiry Hearing the GOM legal team called three witnesses, Santosh Dass, Dr William Gould, and Jamie Sullivan. Members of the public who attended the hearing were also given the opportunity to make short statements to the Chair. Residents from the neighbourhood, Ambedkarites and equality-focused organisations voiced strong support for the memorial prior to, and at the Hearing. Moving and powerful contributions were made at the two-day Public Hearing by Sally Roach, Alex Sunshine, Bonnie Garnett (better known as the Canadian folksinger Bonnie Dobson), the writer Ken Hunt, Satpal Muman of the Ambedkar International Mission, Raj Banger of Kanshi TV, and the Ven. Bhante Vijithavansa.
Announcing the decision on Rt Hon, Robert Jenrick said, “I am pleased to grant planning permission for a museum in London to Dr Ambedkar-one of the founding fathers of modern India and an important figure to many British-Indians.” But he attached certain conditions along with the Management Plan for the operation of the museum. Ms Santosh Dass, President FABO UK contributed to the Management Plan which has now been approved. It is matter of pride for all of us that the final hurdle in this project is removed and the museum has come into operation.
For more information, please contact Mr Arun Kumar FABO UK on 07909 828750 or Santosh Dass on 07902806342
Arun Kumar
General Secretary
Federation of Ambedkarites and Buddhist Organisations UK
6 December 2020
[1] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/11090063/India-to-buy-4m-London-student-home-of-independence-hero.html
[1] https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/panel-formed-for-br-ambedkar-memorial-in-london/story-LMyq3sLGNEXBB3znLATwqL.html
