Twitter
Advertisement

Two more Dr Ambedkar statues desecrated in Uttar Pradesh

One of the statues stands in a park in Trivenipuram Colony in Allahabad district and was desecrated late on Friday night. Within an hour, a crowd of BSP and Samajwadi Party workers and leaders assembled at the park, raised anti-government slogans and sat on a dharna.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

Tension prevailed in Allahabad and Siddharthnagar districts of Uttar Pradesh following the desecration of statues of Dalit community icon, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.

One of the statues stands in a park in Trivenipuram Colony in Allahabad district and was desecrated late on Friday night. Within an hour, a crowd of BSP and Samajwadi Party workers and leaders assembled at the park, raised anti-government slogans and sat on a dharna. They refused to vacate the park despite assurance and appeal by SSP Allahabad Akash Kulhari till the statue was replaced with a new one.

In Gauhania Raaj village in Siddharthnagar district, miscreants broke the hand of a statue on Friday night. Villagers found out on Saturday morning and blocked the state highway and indulged in brick-batting when police tried to lift the dharna.

Both incidents were reported two days after the Yogi Adityanath government passed an order to insert 'Ramji' into Dr Ambedkar's name.

Last month, statues of Dr Ambedkar were vandalized in Meerut and Azamgarh districts.

Newly-elected Samajwadi Party MP from Phulpur, Allahabad, Nagendra Singh Patel said that attempts were being made by the ruling party to widen the caste divide through such incidents. "We demand immediate replacement of the damaged statue and arrest of those behind the incident," said the SP MP.

Taking strong note of the two incidents, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shot off a missive to the District Magistrates and SSPs of both the districts, directing them to arrest those involved and maintain peace and law and order at any cost.

"Arrest those behind the incident at once," Adityanath said, "Such incidents should not be repeated in any part of the state. My government will deal strictly with those attempting to spread caste and communal hatred," said the Chief Minister.

He also directed Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar and DGP O.P. Singh to step up security in areas where Dr Ambedkar's statues stand. Such orders were issued last month too.

"Dr Ambedkar's statue stands in almost every other village in the state," pointed out a senior IPS officer. "It is not practically possible to provide round-the-clock security to all such places." pointed Heavy police force has been deployed in the areas where the recent incidents took place.

ATTACK ON STATUES

Reports of statue vandalism emerged after the results of the Tripura Assembly elections. Following BJP’s victory, a mob demolished a statue of Communist icon Vladimir Lenin in Tripura. A day later, Dravidian ideologue ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy’s statue was damaged in Tamil Nadu, followed by defacing of statues of Ambedkar in Meerut, UP, and Mahatma Gandhi in Kannur, Kerala

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement