Ambedkar statue removed from Village in Hardoi, after elections it will be the turn of Constitution
(SAMAJ WEEKLY)- In Village Kesaripur of Gram Sabha Mandauli, Tehsil Sandila of Hardoi District of U.P. a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was placed near a Hanuman temple earlier this year on 11 February with the written consent of Gram Pradhan Malati. The statue was unveiled on the birthday of Dr. Ambedkar during a formal programme organized here during the day. Member of District Panchayat Nanhe Lal participated in this programme. There was no dispute with anybody either during the programme or between 11 February and 14 April.
At 7 pm police arrived in 31 jeeps, one bus and with one JCB machine. In spite of protest from the villagers first directly and then, after calling the husband of Gram Pradhan, Raj Bahadur, with the help of his people, the police removed the statue and destroyed the platform on which the statue stood. There is a Hanuman temple nearby. What is the mindset which allows one structure of faith to exist whereas another symbol of faith is destroyed unprovoked using bulldozer?
A case has been registered against 20 named and one unknown person. Suresh s/o Rupan was arrested and sent to Hardoi jail after being detained at the police station in Sandila for a day. When another villager Ashok carried food for Suresh to the Police Station, he was also detained.
It is only the statue of Dr. Ambedkar which has been removed now. If the BJP returns to power with more than 400 seats, most likely the Constitution will go away.
In a meeting yesterday the villagers have decided that if the Dr. Ambedkar statue is not placed back at the original place by 7 am on 13 May, the day of polling for Lok Sabha in this constituency, they’ll boycott the elections.
Bharat Choudhary, President, Socialist Yuvjan Sabha, Hardoi, 9616499108
Ashok Bharti, General Secretary, Socialist Party (India), Hardoi, 9936176382
