LUCKNOW: This Ambedkar Jayanti will be different for primary students in UP. In a first, the BJP government has issued orders for government school kids between class I to VIII to celebrate the birth anniversary of the dalit icon . The day-long celebration will see primary schools across UP having discussion on his life, work and ideology on April 13, a day before the anniversary as April 14 is a holiday . The order makes it compulsory for students and teachers to participate in the programme. Political analysts say that even the Mayawati-led BSP government never initiated such a move in the honour of BR Ambedkar.The order issued by the basic education director states that Ambedkar who is the father of Indian Constitution had a deep understanding of political and societal issues. The order highlighted two of Ambedkar’s major beliefs - `If one doesn’t have social freedom, then the freedom guaranteed by the law is of no value’ and `I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.’As per the order issued by the basic education director, after the morning assembly and before the distribution of mid-day meal on April 13, a programme will be organised in all government primary schools. During the hour-long function, students who will be seated before a photograph or statue of Ambedkar and be told about his life, work, ideology and motivational thoughts. The order makes its compulsory for not only students and teachers but also gram pradhans, parents and members of school management committee (SMC) to attend it.Joint director, basic education, Lalita Pradeep said, “Usually, there is no celebration on birthdays of great personalities in government schools . Though April 14 is a holiday, the minister has asked schools to hold discussion a day before. The idea is to apprise our kids of the significance of Ambedkar in our life.’’After the event, an attendance list will be compiled not only at school level but also at blocks and district levels. This will further be accumulated division wise and the final information will be given to the top officials at basic shiksha parishad. “For students who will remain absent on April 13, a 45-minute session detailing the life and work of Ambedkar will be organised in school on April 15,” reads the order.Welcoming the move, political analyst Prof Manoj Dixit said, “The Mayawati-led BSP government only followed Ambedkar’s ideology on papers and never thought of a novel idea like this. For BJP, Ambedkar needs to be used as a social reformer, as an economist who propounded gold monetization much before the world. Making students know about the real thoughts of Ambedkar rather than declaring a holiday is creative.’’