What Ambedkar’s vandalised statues imply

During a recent seminar to mark 75 years of the Constitution, my colleague in the Joint Action Committee on Telangana, Prof M Kodandaram, summed up the state of affairs in two lines. He said there were two groups of people in this country — those who wanted to throw the Constitution into the Bay of Bengal and those who wanted to protect it with their lives.

We have been witnessing the vandalisation of statues of the 'Father of the Constitution', BR Ambedkar, all over the country. One such incident took place on Heritage Street in Amritsar —and, that too, on Republic Day.

The culprit climbed atop the statue using a steel ladder and hit it with a hammer before he was nabbed. In his statement to the police, he said that he did not believe in the Constitution. The fact that he belongs to a reserved category makes it all the more deplorable.

The development prompted a visit to the holy city by Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, who issued directions for strict action to ensure that such incidents were not repeated.

Ambedkar's statues are found in virtually every city and town, besides many villages. They mostly stand unprotected. Last year, the Andhra Pradesh Government unveiled the world's tallest statue of Ambedkar in Vijayawada. Standing 206 feet from the ground, the 'Statue of Social Justice' figures among the 50 tallest statues worldwide (Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 'Statue of Unity' tops the list). The second-tallest Ambedkar statue (175 feet) is situated in the neighbouring Telangana.

The trend of idolising national icons started with the installation of Mahatma Gandhi's statutes in various towns and cities. Some roads were also named after him.

As the Dalit movement in India grew stronger, the community went all out to make its presence felt across the country. In several states, Dalit leaders and activists raised the demand for the installation of a bust or a statue of Ambedkar at a central location in cities as well as towns. In some cases, they collected money and put up the statue at a place provided by the municipality concerned.

Those who benefited from reservation displayed a photograph or portrait of Ambedkar in their offices.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has done it in Punjab offices, where portraits of Ambedkar are showcased beside those of Shaheed Bhagat Singh, particularly in the Chief Minister's Office.

As a result of these endeavours, the movement spread to villages. In parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh, you can even find two Ambedkar statues within a distance of one kilometre.

The political statement made by the Dalits was that no other leader (except Gandhi) could be seen as a pan-India phenomenon.

One of the best features of the Ambedkar statues for Dalits is that the location gives them a great opportunity to use it as a protest site in cases of atrocity against members of the community. They invariably protest by holding candles in front of the statue.

This gesture is also common among Dalits who are part of the diaspora. Ambedkar statues adorn places like Columbia University, the London School of Economics and Brandeis University in Massachusetts, US. An Ambedkar statue was unveiled in October 2023 in Maryland, US, reinforcing the commitment of the Dalits to their icon.

A possible trigger for the vandalisation of the Ambedkar statue in Punjab, which has a significant Dalit population, could be antipathy towards the community, whose members have been seeking constitutional rights over the years and demanding punishment for the culprits who commit atrocities against them.

Or, it could be due to disillusionment and discontent within the community.

The Amritsar incident might also have a political angle, considering that the AAP is not only in power in Punjab but also in Delhi, where the Assembly elections are scheduled for February 5.

The iconography of the Ambedkar statue is clearly recognisable: he is shown holding the Constitution in one hand, while the other hand is raised, indicating that he is showing the right path and direction to his followers and admirers.

As the Constitution is an inseparable part of his iconography, the recent incident could be a symbolic assault on constitutional values and mandate.

It has come at a time when political parties are vying to appropriate Ambedkar's legacy and are accusing each other of denigrating or ignoring the key architect of the Constitution. The recent Winter Session of Parliament was marked by an acrimonious faceoff over Ambedkar.

For Dalits, incidents of vandalisation have become a rallying point to unite as they are otherwise divided under the sub-categorisation umbrella. This is also an opportunity for them to rededicate themselves to safeguarding their icon, his values and ideology.

Politics apart, Dalits have joined the chorus for the protection of Ambedkar's statues across the country. Thus, these statues have managed to unite Dalits to fight inequality and reiterate their demand for ensuring their constitutional rights.