Vandalism of Ambedkar statues

Vandalism of statues commemorating B. R. Ambedkar has been happening in various states of India since at least the early years of the 21st century.

Background

Ambedkar was a Dalit, an untouchable person, and in his role as architect of the Constitution of India following independence in 1947, his criticism of Hinduism and the caste system was exemplified by its provisions outlawing untouchability and caste-based discrimination.[1] Despite these and later laws introduced to provide protection for Dalits and other historically persecuted communities, instances of prejudice, intimidation and violence against them remains common. Ambedkar is an iconic figure for the Dalits and references to him can evoke anger among non-Dalit people.[2]

Although traditionally viewed as a symbol of liberalism, the spirit of Ambedkar has also been invoked by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Narendra Modi since its election in 2014.[1]

Vandalism

Many statues of Ambedkar exist, often erected privately by people who revere him rather than by official authorities.[3] Examples of vandalism of statues commemorating him have been reported in states such as Tamil Nadu,[3] Punjab,[4] and Madhya Pradesh.[5] One privately-erected statue, in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, has been damaged at least four times in the 15 years to 2018,[6] whilst the Tamil Nadu state government's response to vandalism in 2015, which involved protecting numerous Ambedkar statues with cages, met with criticism for allegedly caving in to anti-Dalit forces in the notoriously caste-divided region.[7]

Response

Dalits often protest vandalism of Ambedkar statues,[8][9][10] with the 2006 Dalit protests in Maharashtra being a notable instance.[11] Another such protest led to the 1997 Ramabai killings.

See also

References
  1. "As India's Constitution Turns 70, Opposing Sides Fight Over Its Author's Legacy". Time. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  2. "This is what India's caste hatred looks like". BBC News. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  3. Karthikeyan, D.; Reporter (2012-08-11). "Vandalism of Ambedkar statues, a conspiracy to disrupt peace in southern districts". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  4. "Ambedkar statue vandalised in Rajpura". Hindustan Times. 2019-09-16. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  5. "Heavy police force deployed in MP's Sagar after Ambedkar statue vandalised". Hindustan Times. 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  6. "Uttar Pradesh: Miscreants vandalise Ambedkar's statue in Allahabad, third such incident in March". The Indian Express. 2018-03-31. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  7. Biswas, Soutik (2015-10-02). "Why are statues of Indian icon Ambedkar being caged?". BBC News. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  8. "Ambedkar Statue Vandalised in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, Hundreds Gather in Protest". News18. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  9. "Dalits protest over vandalism of Ambedkar statue". Firstpost. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  10. Rai, Sandeep. "Women lead protest over vandalisation of Ambedkar statue in Saharanpur". The Times of India. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  11. "Desecration of Ambedkar statue: Four killed, 60 injured in Dalit protests". Outlook India. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
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