Removal of two Ambedkar statues sparks Dalit fury

Rajkot: Dalit community members were seething after two statues of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar were removed by the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Friday.
The Dalits blocked several roads, vandalized a private car and a GSRTC bus in the morning after statues were removed from Ambedkar Chowk and Rajnagar Chowk late on Thursday. RMC said the statues were illegally erected. It was later in the evening that the protests were called off after RMC and Dalit leaders reached a settlement.

As the news spread early in the morning, large number of Dalit community people shouting slogans of Jay Bhim, gathered and blocked the 150 feet Ring Road, burnt tyres in various parts like Kalavad Road and Ring Road, bringing the peak hour traffic to a grinding halt. RMC was forced to suspend BRTS service for nearly three hours in the morning. They demanded the statutes be returned to them and installed at same places.

Municipal commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani said, “Lot of people were facing inconvenience due to the statue. But the issue has been settled and we have returned statues to them with the condition that they won’t place them without permission. Within five days, they will chose another circle where we will permit its installation.”

RMC has developed traffic circles with public participation in Mavdi-Punitnagar near Astha Chowkdi. The locals put the statue of Dr Ambedakar at both these places on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar without seeking permission.

The mob blocked roads from Lakshminagar to Rajnagar Chowk, Nana Mauva Road, Jay Bhim Chowk, Astha Chowkdi, Jaddus Restaurant, Mota Mauva and Rangoli Park from 8 am to 5 pm. Police had to divert the traffic and vehicles were jammed in many narrow lanes as they had to take the interior roads instead of the usual 150 feet Ring Road and Kalavad main road.

However, police did not register any complaint in the case. Assistant commissioner of police, Rajkot west, Harshad Mehta said, “They did not vandalize public property and therefore we did not file any FIR. We managed the situation and tried to see that traffic moves easily.”