After marking the 61st death anniversary of Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here today and said that it would become an important institution for research and economic issues.PM Narendra Modi also took a shot at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's visit at Somnath temple in Gujarat Election, saying some political parties who were earlier attempting votes in the name of Dalit icon "Baba Saheb" Bhimrao Ambedkar were now remembering "Baba Bolenath" -Lord Shiva.

Launching the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here a day after the nation observed his December 61 death anniversary, Modi said the government had realized Baba Saheb's dream of an inclusive India that gives equivalent chance to every citizen regardless of caste, creed and faith."You will be stunned to know that some 60 percent beneficiaries of the government's self-employment loan scheme that transformed the meaning of jobs in the country are Dalits, backwards and tribals. At present, some 9.75 crore loan (applications) have been accepted and people have been given credits worth over Rs 4 lakh crore," PM Modi said.

"Political parties who have been seeking votes in the name of Babasaheb won't even know that. Anyway, such people nowadays cannot recollect Baba Saheb but are seeing Baba Bolenath," he said, apparently referring to the political row kicking by Gandhi's visit to the famous Somnath temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, in Gujarat. "Attempts to erase Baba Saheb Ambedkar's role failed, he has been more influential in the minds of people, much more than the family (Gandhi family) for which all this was done," PM Modi added. Ahead of the Gujarat assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi's visit to the temple hogged headlines last week as BJP supporters on social media accused the Congress leader of lying about being a devotee of Lord Shiva after it was reported that he had registered as a non-Hindu in the temple. Even the BJP wanted clarification from Rahul Gandhi.