A statue of Dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun was found to be locked in an iron cage on Thursday, 12 April. The statue is located at Gaddi Chowk, an area in the heart of the town.
In the backdrop of incidents of vandalism of Ambedkar's statues, it was found locked inside the cage near the Sadar Kotwali police station. The police said they do not know who have done it yet.
“The step might have been taken to provide security to the statue but we are not aware as to who has done this”, Circle Officer Virendra Singh Yadav said.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Badaun) Parasnath Maurya said directives were issued to extend security till Ambedkar Jayanti on 14 April, as there were chances that some anti-social elements might damage the statues to disturb social peace.
Three homeguard jawans have, however, been deployed for round-the-clock security of the now locked-up statue, the SDM added.
Ambedkar statues have recently been vandalised in Meerut, Saharanpur, Firozabad, and Bulandshahr in March, triggering angry protests from the Opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party (SP).
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also sent out an advisory to the states for taking precautionary steps to prevent violence/vandalism in the run-up to Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary.
“The Ministry has asked state governments to take all necessary steps to prevent untoward incidents in view of the coming Ambedkar Jayanti. The MHA has advised for intensification of patrolling in all sensitive locations to ensure no loss of life and property and issuance of prohibitory orders whenever necessary,” a government statement said on Thursday.
The communique was issued in the wake of violence/arson in some parts of the country during 'Bharat Bandh' on 2 April and 10 April.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)