Ambedkar statue desecration: Valmiki Samaj calls on UP Guv

Lucknow, Dec 2 (UNI) Valmiki Samaj representatives under the banner of Aadi Dharm Samaaj today held a dharna in the Uttar Pradesh capital against the defilement of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue in Kanpur recently and submitted a memorandum to Governor T V Rajeswar demanding a CBI probe into the incident.

The Valmiki Samaj also strongly protested against implication of a youth of the community by Kakado police in Kanpur to ''hush up the matter.'' ''Mr Rajeswar heard us patiently and assured he will ask the government to take appropriate action against the real culprits,'' said Kishore Valmiki, Samaj's state convenor after meeting the governor.

They alleged Arun Valmiki, implicated in the case, clearly shows the anti-Dalit attitude of the present government.

Meanwhle, the situation was fast returning to normal in Kanpur with additional police force been deployed at the sensitive pockets.

''Police patrolling has been intensified in Kanpur and other sensitive places. Rumour mongers are being strictly monitored,'' a senior police official at the state police headquarters here said.

A report from Kanpur said, Dalit Panthers Party (DPP) has demanded registration of murder and Dalit harassment cases against the guilty policemen.

Protesting DPP activists today handed over a memorandum to President A P J Abdul Kalam through the Kanpur district administration in this regard.

The memorandum demanded of Rs 20 lakh compensation to each of the kin of those killed in Maharashtra violence in the aftermath of the desecration of the statue.

Meanwhile, a copy of the memorandum has been forwarded to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and state Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

UNI MB VS PA BD1802