Days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar during the Constitution debate in the Rajya Sabha, an incident of vandalism involving Dr Ambedkar’s statue in his home state has further intensified tensions.
The incident occurred between 2 am and 7:30 am near Jayanti Vakil’s chawl in the Kokhra area of Ahmedabad. Miscreants damaged the nose and glasses of the statue, leading to outrage among the local community.
Under the banner of ‘Jay Bhim Sena’, Youth Congress General Secretary Gaurang Makwana along with 50 locals staged a roadside protest demanding the arrest of those responsible.
Local police were alerted to the situation and officers quickly arrived to manage the crowd and investigate the matter. CCTV footage from a nearby mobile shop is being examined as part of the ongoing probe.
A complaint has been lodged by locals against unidentified individuals and authorities have assured that efforts are underway to trace the culprits.
Local BJP MLA Amul Bhatt and municipal councillors also arrived at the site and condemned the act.
The vandalism follows days of heightened political tension after Amit Shah’s remarks in the Rajya Sabha, where he criticised the use of Dr Ambedkar’s name for political gains.
His statement, “It has become a fashion to name ‘Ambedkar, Ambedkar’ for furthering one’s political interests,” drew sharp criticism from the Congress, which demanded a public apology, labelling the comments as “deeply insulting.”
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