Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that 151 statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar were damaged across 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh during the BJP’s rule, and said arrests had been made in only 14 cases so far.
He claimed the vandalism was deliberate and linked it to the BJP’s alleged attempt to change the Constitution. Yadav said the Samajwadi Party had documented 151 such cases and that, by that count, more than 15 statues were damaged every year under the present government.
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Speaking to reporters at the party office in Lucknow, Yadav said, “Statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar have been damaged the most. Under the BJP government, over 151 (Ambedkar statues) have been damaged or vandalised in 72 districts.”
He added, “This was done deliberately because they (the BJP) wanted to change the Constitution but failed to do so. That is why whenever the BJP and those who share its ideology attack, the first thing they target is a hand-held copy of the Constitution.”
Yadav said the party had compiled details of 151 incidents.
“In all, we have been able to document 151 cases. If we calculate the average, more than 15 statues were damaged annually under this government. The highest number of incidents occurred in Ballia, followed by Azamgarh and Mathura. Statues were damaged in Gorakhpur too. There may be undocumented and uncounted cases as well,” he said.
Citing government figures, Yadav said arrests were made only in 14 cases. He said in 45 incidents, cases were registered against unknown persons, while in eight instances, a named FIR was lodged. In 84 cases, no action was taken.
Yadav also alleged that the BJP government neither respects Ambedkar, nor his statues, nor his people.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
