UP paints BR Ambedkar saffron, sets off row

Lucknow: After adding “Ramji’ to Dr B.R. Ambedkar’s name, the BJP has installed a statue of the dalit ideologue wearing a saffron coat in Badaun district, which has become a subject of controversy.

Reports said after a statue of Dr Ambedkar was vandalised on Friday night at Dugraiyya village, district officials promised to replace it. But the statue that arrived from Agra and was installed on Sunday, left many shocked as Ambedkar’s coat, usually painted blue or black, was a deep shade saffron.

SP MLA and party spokesman Sunil Singh Sajan said that the UP government was now adding a saffron touch to even dalit ideologues, which was shameful.

“The government is busy indulging in the politics of colour. They are busy painting buildings, boundaries, parks and so on in saffron. Now they are exposed by changing the colour of the Ambedkar statue to saffron. This is not going to help them and people will know their intentions better now”, he said.

It may be recalled that recently the Yogi Adityanath government had issued orders to change the name of social reformer and dalit icon Bhimrao Ambedkar to Bhimrao “Ramji” Ambedkar in all government documents and records.

The move invited sharp criticism from the Opposition, which questioned the timing of the order and alleged that it was taken on political considerations.