Decades old Ambedkar Statue Vandalized in Lucknow

The rising resistance to Dalit empowerment in India has led to another incident of Ambedkar Statue desecration. The recent incident occurred in the Ratan Khand area of Lucknow, the state capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Rajnarayan Rahul, a seasoned activist in the region of more than three decades, apprised The Mooknayak of the statue's desecration, stating that the hand of Babasaheb's effigy was found broken. Upon contacting the SHO, the administration expediently replaced the icon, assuaging the situation. An inquiry was promptly initiated by the authorities following the community's charge.

During an interaction with The Mooknayak, SHO Ajay Prakash Mishra divulged that they have registered a case under section 295, 505, and 153(A) of the IPC to get to the bottom of this heinous act. Based on the available footage, the perpetrator shall be identified and held accountable for their actions.

The statue's placement location is also a matter of contentious debate, with the statue compound covering almost half of the street. However, individuals residing in the vicinity for several decades contest this, as per S.D. Gautam's account. Gautam claims that the statue was erected in 1992, nearly 30 years ago, and the road was purposely constructed to make the statue fall in the middle. The Local Development Authority's plan was to dislocate the area's residents.

Incidents of statue vandalization

Several recent incidents of Ambedkar Statue desecration have been reported from various parts of the country. Some of these include the vandalization of the Ambedkar Statue in Tiruvallur (Tamil Nadu) in January, Kannauj (Uttar Pradesh) in February, Bhadohi district (Uttar Pradesh) in March, Oli Village of Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) on April 19, and Jewar of Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) on April 20th.

World’s Tallest Ambedkar Statue

On 14th April, 2023, History was scripted in Hyderabad when the world’s tallest Ambedkar Statue measuring 125 feet was inaugurated by the Chief Minister KC Rao, in the presence of Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

The statue located in the heart of Hyderabad serves a reminder to both the followers and haters of Babasaheb Ambedkar that the charisma of Ambedkar survives the attempts to quell his views and ideology.

Outside India , the statues and busts of Babasaheb have made their way in the libraries, universities and embassies. Proving yet again that the followers of B.R. Ambedkar are not deterred by the petty acts aimed at intimidation and dissuasion.