Police sound alert ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh police have sounded an alert in the run up to the Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, a senior official said.
The move comes as violent protests by the Dalit community, angered over the alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act by an order of the apex court, have preceded the event this year.
The ruling BJP and the opposition Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress had accused each other of instigating Dalits.
“It’s a general statewide alert. During such alerts, the leaves of policemen automatically stand cancelled. Only emergency leaves are usually allowed during such time,” a senior police official of the DGP office confirmed.
Some police officials admitted that a special watch is being maintained in few western UP districts, which have been branded as ‘sensitive.’ During the protests against the dilution of SC/ST Act, maximum violence was witnessed in Meerut and Agra and these were among the districts where maximum vigil was to be maintained, officials said. Police had already arrested some people, including BSP leaders, for fanning violence during the protests, a charge the leaders have denied. Dalit rights activist SR Darapuri said Dalits were being framed in connection with April 2 violence on the SC/ST issue.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath is to be conferred ‘Dalit Mitra’ award by Ambedkar Mahasabha in Lucknow on April 14. Mahasabha chief Lalji Nirmal, who had announced the award, is under fire from within the Mahasabha on the issue and some founder members of the body have questioned the move. Few of them even staged a protest at the GPO in Lucknow on Saturday.
This was preceded by several Dalit MPs of the BJP questioning their own government’s commitment towards Dalits. “That’s why there is enough to make us remain on toes on and before the day,” a police official said.
THE NATIONAL INTEGRATION DEPT HAS RELEASED ₹26.25 LAKH TO CELEBRATE AMBEDKAR JAYANTI ALL OVER THE STATE
FUNDS RELEASED
The National Integration Department (NID) has released ₹26.25 lakh to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti all over the State.
“The money will be utilised to hold seminars, functions to pay homage and recall contributions of Dr Ambedkar in all 75 districts,” said an official of the department, adding each district had been allocated Rs 35,000 for the purpose.
He said while a similar amount was spent on the event last year also, it was for the first time that instructions were sent out to schools to celebrate the event.
“The state government had issued directives making it compulsory for students and teachers from Class 1 to 8 in all government schools to celebrate April 14,” he said.
An official of the Lucknow district administration said funds received from the government were disbursed to block development officials and local village ‘pradhans’ and government school management committees to mark the event.