LONDON – Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accused of snubbing BritishDalits after failing to visit Ambedkar House in London on Thursday, tounveil a statue of B.R. Ambedkar in the house’s garden.

There were hopes that during his trip to London the Prime Minister wouldvisit the newly refurbished house during a 90-minute window on Thursdayafternoon, the Anti-Caste Discrimination Alliance, which was one of thecampaigning groups that raised funds for the house, said.

“Around 50 guests from the Ambedkarite, Ravidassia, Valmiki, Dalitorganisations campaigning to outlaw caste discrimination in the U.K. tookthe opportunity to submit a joint memorandum to the PM,” said aspokesperson for the organisation.

“PM Modi’s no-show at the house signifies that he has no respect for Dr.Ambedkar or the Dalit diaspora. We wanted to call on him to tackle theinjustices and impact of the caste system.”

The memorandum was submitted instead to Rajkumar Badole, the Minister forSocial Justice, Maharashtra, who attended the event.

“A silent protest by a group of Ambedkarites who had hoped to ask theIndian Prime Minister about the escalating violence against Dalits andminorities in India since he came to power apparently led to Mr. Modicancelling his visit and calling off the inauguration ceremony abruptly,”said a representative of CasteWatchUK, which had organised a separateprotest outside the venue. “It is an insult to Ambedkar and a snub toDalits. As such it exposes the hypocrisy of PM Modi.”