By Mayank Kumar
Bhaliya village under Kakori police station limits in Lucknow remained on edge on Saturday (October 5, 2024) after some miscreants vandalised a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar at the Ambedkar Park in Lucknow on Friday (October 4, 2024) night. Residents, mostly hailing from the Dalit community, organised protests demanding action against the culprits.
The Kakori police promised the demonstrators of proper action over the incident and reinstallation of the statue with cameras set up in the park to avoid a repeat of such occurrences. Police personnel have been stationed in the village to calm down tensions.
“We have registered a case over the incident and an investigation is underway,” Shakeel Ahmad, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kakori, told The Hindu.
In his complaint to the police, Devendra Kumar, a resident, demanded action within 24 hours. “It is highly condemnable that the statue of India’s Constitution maker has been vandalised. We request the administration to take cognisance of the issue and take action within 24 hours,” said Mr. Kumar. The vandalisation also sparked outrage on social media with many demanding the State government arrest the accused and reinstall the statue.
The U.P. Congress said that such incidents are a result of the hatred spread by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in society and that they signify a pushback from feudal elements against Dalits.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com. Read the full story here.