Vandalization of Ambedkar Statue in Sitapur
The CPIML in Uttar Pradesh has strongly condemned the vandalization and breaking of a life-size statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar by anti-social elements in a primary school park in Hargaon, Sitapur District on the night of 18 August. The Gram Pradhan Vimla Singh has given a written complaint in the Thana and the accused are the same people who had attacked dalits on 14 August. Now people fear that further lethal attacks may be imminent on the dalits as the beheading of the statue goes unpunished. We demand that the attackers should be arrested and the innocent people arrested including Comrade Arjun Lal should be released immediately.
CPIML State Secretary Sudhakar Yadav said that despite the registration of FIR (462/22) in the attack on dalits by savarna sections in Rikhipurva village on the eve of Independence Day, not a single arrest has been made; on the other hand CPIML leader and Zilla Panchayat member Arjun Lal and other activists have been arrested and cases slapped against them and the dalit victims. This has boosted the morale of the savarna criminals and now resulted in the vandalization of the Ambedkar statue. Under the Yogi regime oppression of dalits has increased by leaps and bounds and their voices are not being heard. The victim families have been sitting on dharna at the Sitapur District HQ since 14 August but the administration remains unmoved.
Although the broken Ambedkar has been replaced by a new statue, the criminals are still roaming free.
After visiting the site of the incident, State Standing Committee member and AIARLA State Secretary Rajesh Sahani told that on the night of 18 August 2022 the life-size statue of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar situated in Ambedkar Park adjacent to the Primary School in Rikhipurva village was vandalized and the head of the statue was broken off. Some women returning from morning ablutions saw the beheaded statue and told the villagers, who started gathering at the site. The villagers spread the information and a video went viral. By 8 AM the Hargaon Thana SO, Addl SP and SDM arrived at the spot. In view of the mass pressure, the administration immediately ordered a new statue from Lucknow. By 12 noon the new statue arrived. The beheaded statue was removed with care and the new statue installed on the foundation.
Meanwhile, dalit Gram Pradhan of Pipraghuri village and Rikhipurwa resident Vimla Singh gave a written complaint to the Thana SO giving information about the vandalization of the statue and thus causing hurt to feelings of dalits and conveying the fear of a conspiracy to vitiate the atmosphere. CPIML leader Arjun Lal who had gone to register an FIR on this was arrested along with others. The complainants were beaten by the police and an FIR was registered in turn against the dalit victims. In her complaint the Gram Pradhan alleged that savarna sections in Baksohia village had beheaded the statue in a conspiracy to vitiate the atmosphere.
News of beheading of Dr Ambedkar's statue spread rapidly and hundreds of village women have arrived at the spot and are speaking to each other in low fearful voices, saying that by breaking the statue, savarnas want to send the message that dalits should stop dreaming of freedom. People are also saying that the police and administration are protecting them, and that is why they are not afraid. It should be remembered that no action has been taken against the attackers so far; on the contrary, the dalit who went to the Thana seeking justice have been charged and jailed and the Thana SO is threatening them with attack by gangsters inside the jail.
Hundreds of villagers have been protesting against the oppression of dalits with a dharna at the District HQ since 14 August. A mass protest will be organized on 26 August.
