Defacement of Ambedkar’s statue in MP's Ashoknagar sparks outrage

Bhopal, April 30 (IANS) In an act of vandalism in Madhya Pradesh’s Ashoknagar town, a statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, the revered architect of the Indian Constitution, was defaced by unknown miscreants.

Following a complaint, the police have registered a case against unknown and launched a hunt for them. The incident occurred early evening on Tuesday, unidentified individuals marred the statue’s face with black stains in Ambedkar Park, police said.

The incident quickly drew public attention, leading to a large gathering at the site. While locals cleaned the statue, the act of desecration left the community in a state of anger and indignation.

Additional Superintendent of Police Gajendra Singh Kanwar, speaking to IANS, said: “The matter is under investigation. A case has been registered under Section 173 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) against unknown individuals, and the miscreants will be brought to justice soon.”

The case has been filed at Kotwali police station, Ashoknagar and dedicated police teams have been formed to apprehend the culprits, he said. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the past 72 hours in the vicinity to gather evidence.

The incident has sparked protests from members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Bhim Army, who demanded the immediate arrest of those responsible and re-installation of a new statue.

Mukesh Ahirwar, district president of the BSP, who made the complaint along with others to the police, told IANS: “The police have assured us that the culprits will be arrested within 72 hours. If this does not happen, we will launch a massive protest.”

Meanwhile, the Congress’ state unit president Jitu Patwari condemned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for its ‘perceived’ role in fostering an environment where such incidents occur.

Taking the matter to his X handle, Patwari described the defacement as part of a troubling pattern in Madhya Pradesh, where repeated acts of insult and vandalism against Dr Ambedkar’s statues have raised serious concerns.

He argued that these acts are no longer isolated crimes but appear to be part of a deliberate conspiracy. Patwari further criticised the BJP, in a separate statement and contended that these incidents not only disrespect the Dalit community but also undermine the principles of social justice and the very foundation of the Indian Constitution.

He questioned whether the BJP feels threatened by Dr. Ambedkar’s ideology, citing four similar incidents that have occurred across the state.

Earlier on Tuesday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, and Vasundhara Raje Scindia, former Rajasthan Chief Minister and a key figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), openly criticised the Congress for failing to honour Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar in a programme organised in memory of Dr Ambedkar.

–IANS

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