New Delhi, April 2 : The Babu Jagjivan Ram Smriti Samiti today expressed regret at the Government decision not to officially observe the 94th birth anniversary of the former Deputy Prime Minister on April 5 and appealed to the President and Prime Minister to reverse this decision.

Stating that the Government decision had hurt millions of Scheduled Caste people in the country, samiti president O. P. Maurya said, “we in the samiti feel that such a decision, albeit most unfortunate as it seems to be, is a conspiracy to keep away the downtrodden people of India from reminiscences of Himalayan heights of work which Shri Jagjivan Ram did for the welfare of the rank and file across the country.”

Recalling that Babu Jagjivan Ram fought against the British, Dr. Maurya said it was in commemoration of his services that the late Rajiv Gandhi earmarked a prominent place for his “samadhi” on his demise on July 6, 1996. UNI