Ambedkar's statue damaged in MP

Bhopal, Apr 21 (UNI) The BJP's Madhya Pradesh unit condemned this morning's damage caused by unidentified persons to Father of the Indian Constitution Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar's statue at a park in the local Tulsi Nagar area.

''An inquiry should be followed up with action against the guilty. It should be probed whether the intention was to derive political mileage in view of the Uttar Pradesh assembly poll,'' unit spokesman Umashankar Gupta said in a statement here.

Certain political parties' workers and Ambedkarites indulged in violence as news of the incident spread. Police said that the statue was partially damaged. District Collector S K Mishra, Superintendent of Police Anant Kumar Singh and other senior officials rushed to the spot.

''The plinth is being raised from the security point of view. The statue suffered some scratches that can be repaired. However, the local Corporator says that funds will be provided from the Corporators' Fund for a new statue. The situation is peaceful and police have registered a case,'' said Mr Mishra.

UNI