The Centre has issued an advisory to the Madhya Pradesh government, asking it to "protect" the statues of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, a senior police official said today.
The advisory comes amid a series of vandalism incidents targeting statues and busts, and ahead of Ambedkar's birth anniversary tomorrow.
The architect of the Constitution was born at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh on April 14, 1891.
A number of Ambedkar's statues were desecrated following the protest against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Makrand Deouskar said it was not known how many Ambedkar statues were there in Madhya Pradesh.
Nonetheless, he said, district authorities have been instructed to ensure the safety of statues.
When asked, he said that the Centre too has "sent an advisory to the state in this regard".
Madhya Pradesh witnessed widespread violence on April 2 during the bandh called by Dalit groups.
Eight people were killed -- four in Bhind, three in Gwalior and one in Morena. Six of them were Dalits.
After the bandh, the statues of Ambedkar were found damaged in Satna, Bhind and Balaghat districts.
Ambedkar was born in the Military Headquarters of War, popularly known as Mhow', a cantonment area near Indore. His father, an Army officer, was posted there.
President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to visit the Ambedkar memorial at Mhow tomorrow.
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