Poster removal of Bahujan Icons Mars celebrations at Ambedkar University: Student group demands action

The birth anniversary of Dalit icons, including B.R. Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule, was marred by an unfortunate incident at the Ambedkar University in Delhi on April 13. The Ambedkarite Student Forum (ASF) had organized an event to celebrate Phule-Ambedkar Jayanti, as part of the ongoing Dalit History Month observance. The programme included an essay writing competition, an anti-caste exhibition, a pictorial biography exhibition and other cultural activities.

During the celebration, several posters of the Bahujan icons, including Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, were allegedly removed, torn apart, and thrown away by unknown miscreants. The ASF later issued a statement condemning the incident and demanded immediate action against the guilty person, treating it as an act punishable under the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

After receiving a complaint from the student group, the university constituted a committee to investigate the matter further. The students also held discussions with the registrar and the proctor about the incident, while details about it were also mailed to the Vice-Chancellor.

A senior university official confirmed that a committee was probing the matter and was supposed to submit its findings to the university on Monday. He further added, "The University is aware of the incident, and a committee has been constituted to investigate the matter. We are also waiting to find out if this is some mischief done by some people."

The incident has sparked outrage among the students and supporters of the Ambedkarite movement worldwide. The ASF's statement aptly summarizes the collective feeling, "the incident has stung us deeply. We never imagined this happening at the University named after Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar itself." The students stressed that those responsible for damaging the posters of the Dalit icons must be identified and dealt with accordingly to ensure that such an incident does not occur again in the future.