Meanwhile, the Republican Party of India leader Ramdas Athawale today welcomed the Centre's announcement regarding handing over the India United (Indu) Mill land in Mumbai for the construction of a memorial of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

Reacting to Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma's statement on the issue in Lok Sabha today, Athawale thanked the Centre and said, "The long pending demand of lakhs of followers of Ambedkar has been fulfilled."

The state government should now help expedite the process of actual transfer of the land, by April 14, a party spokesperson said, quoting Athawale. Scores of Ambedkar followers are expected to gather here tomorrow, the death anniversary of the architect of the Constitution.

Earlier, Athawale had threatened to forcibly take over land at the defunct Mill, located near the Shivaji Park in central Mumbai, if the Centre did not announce handing over the mill land for construction of the memorial. The agitation has been called off following today's announcement in Lok Sabha, RPI said.