Yogi Sarkar’s ‘Bhagwa’ Ambedkar: ‘Official’ statue vandalism

In a shocking decision, the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh on Monday installed a statue of Babasaheb BR Ambedkar in a Badaun village painted saffron, unlike the usual blue.

The colour ‘blue’, widely used by Dalits groups and political parties, and which has come to be associated with Bahujan politics nationwide, represents the blue coat worn by Babasaheb Ambedkar. This move is likely to further upset Dalits, already angry after increasing incidents of violence and discrimination against them under the Yogi Government, after the dilution of certain stringent provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by a Supreme Court judgment, and after comments by BJP leaders including union ministers on changing the Indian constitution. Dalit icon Babasaheb Ambedkar is revered by many Indians as the architect and Father of the Indian Constitution.

The statue of Ambedkar in Dugraiyya village, Badaun which was vandalised some time back, was replaced with this new one, in the presence of district police officers.

In the past, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Bhawan which houses the office of the Chief Minister in Lucknow was painted saffron, and later even the Haj Committee office. Saffron is the colour representing the Bharatiya Janata Party.

With IANS inputs.

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