Basti: In the Basti district of Uttar Pradesh, villagers accused Bhim Army-backed leaders of removing the idol of Maa Kali and installing the statue of Ambedkar in a small temple situated in the village. In the village Hareva Shukla, people complained to the local authorities that some Bhim Army members removed the statues of their deities. Bhim Army members not only vandalized the statues of Hindu goddesses but also installed Ambedkar’s statue.
The Hindu organizations of the village claimed that the deities were installed in its place for about 35 to 40 years which has been removed by Bhim Army leader Ashwani Gautam. Further, one of the complainants Praveen Shukla told us that Ashwani Gautam had contested the poles by promising to install similar statues of Ambedkar so that he could mobilize the Dalits in his favour.
The statue was removed on 25 April
Praveen Shukla said that he had received information on the previous day that the statue of Ambedkar and Mahatma Buddha was installed on around 25 April. The Hindu organizations immediately complained to the administration, showing anger over the matter. Sensing the anger of the villagers, it was immediately agreed to displace the statue of Buddha and Ambedkar by chance.
Reconciliation after a lot of fuss
Sensing the anger of the villagers, Shiv Kumar, who installed the statue of Buddha and Ambedkar, agreed to remove the statue while writing a reconciliation. Also, as before, the idol of Kali Maa will be installed in the existing place. In the presence of SDM, on April 6, the existing idols will be replaced and the idol of Maa Kali will be installed. However, the statue of Hindu deities have been vandalized and later immersed by the accused.
The idols were also broken in Maharashtra
This is not the first incident where Ambedkar or Buddha idols have been installed by demolishing the idols of the Hindu Goddess. In one such episode, Ambedkar’s temple was built in the Latur district of Maharashtra by breaking the idols of Hindu Gods and Goddesses from JCB. Also, the SC/ST Act was instituted against a family for opposing the case.
