Agra: Ambedkar statue not to be removed, but Sangh icon Deendayal statue will be installed in city

AGRA: A day after TOI reported the state culture directorate order to the Agra administration asking them to replace one of the two statues of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar inside Agra municipal corporation (AMC) premises with that of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, the BJP mayor and chairperson of SC/ST commission expressed their displeasure on the move and announced not to remove Ambedkar statue, but to install an enormous statue of the Sangh icon on city’s roundabout.

Naveen Kumar Jain, the mayor of Agra city, said, “Deendayal has been source of our inspiration and founder of our party, I’m in support of installing his statue, but not within the limits of walls. His statue should be enormous and must be installed on city roundabout.”

When questioned, whether the civic body would remove Ambedkar statue from its office premises, the mayor said, “At present there is no proposal and neither we want too, but Deendayal’s statue will be installed in city and we are working on the proposal.”


The maypr says Deendayal’s statue will be installed in city and we are working on the proposal.

Last month, five-time local BJP MLA Jagan Prasad Garg wrote a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, requesting him to install the statue of social worker and one of the leaders of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the forerunner of the BJP, inside the AMC premises, by replacing one of the two Ambedkar statue. Later, on April 25 a signed order by deputy director Ajay Kumar Agarwal directed the Agra district magistrate and senior superintendent of police to keep tab on law and order situation in case there is protest after the installation of statue.

Member of Parliament and chairperson of SC/ST commission Ramshankar Katheria said, “There is no logic or gain in replacing the Ambedkar statue and I believe the statue should remain inside the civic body office premises. It was the personal request of MLA Jagan Prasad Garg to replace the statue for Deendayal.”

He said, “After taking in confidence of all the councillors, a unanimous decision should be taken. There are scores of places and roundabouts available for the installation of statue.”