‘Saffron’ Ambedkar statue repainted ‘blue’ in Badaun

Two days after a statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar, draped in saffron, was installed in Kunwargaon area of Badaun district, local Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) leaders repainted it blue on Tuesday. Hemendra Gautam, BSP Badaun chief, made arrangements to paint the statue blue and inaugurated it again after the painting was complete.

“Bhimrao Ambedkarji is always represented in blue colour. The idol in saffron colour was placed in a hurry by the administration. We have only changed the colour of the idol to blue in accordance with the demand of local residents,” Gautam said.

The statue, in saffron, was installed on Sunday in place of an old Ambedkar statue, which was vandalised by a mob on Friday night. The saffron statue, according to police officials, was installed to pacify the people of backward community, who were hurt by Friday’s incident.

“Nobody objected to the colour of the idol on Sunday but several people from our community called me asking to change the colour of the idol,” Gautam said.

The local administration was intimated about changing the colour and it was not opposed by anybody or group, said village head Akram Khan. “Majority of the villagers agreed to the demand to change the colour of the statue, so we all supported the decision,” Khan said.

Another inauguration ceremony was held on Tuesday and the repainted statue was garlanded by Gautam in the presence of police and locals.

Police officials also said that the changing of the statue’s colour was not opposed by anyone.

Meanwhile, the damaging of the statute on Friday is being probed by officers of Kunwargaon police station, who have registered a case against one Naresh Kumar, who is absconding.

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HT PHOTO The saffron statue of BR Ambedkar gets a blue shade after BSP MLA Hemendra Gautam made arrangements to repaint it in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh, on Tuesday.