Row in Rajasthan over installation of Ambedkar, King Surajmal's statues

Tension erupted in the Nadbai town of the district last night after a dispute between two groups over the installation of statues of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Maharaja Surajmal, who founded Bharatpur.

Police said villagers pelted stones at police personnel and blocked a key state highway on Wednesday night. ''The situation is under control now,'' Additional Superintendent of police Raghuvir Singh said ion Thursday. The incident occurred at Belara village when its residents gathered at Belara Chauraha to install the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on April 14, his birth anniversary, but the Jat community wanted to install a statue of Jat king Maharaja Surajmal.

A row was simmering after a committee headed by Bharatpur Divisional Commissioner Sanwarmal Verma recently decided to install a statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar at the Belara Chauraha, a prominent intersection in the village, and of Maharaja Surajmal at Kumher Chauraha and that of lord Parshuram at Nagar Chauraha.

On April 9, people from the Jat community organised a protest against the administration. They demanded to install Surajmal's statue at the Belara Chauraha.

The dharna was withdrawn on April 10 after Cabinet minister Vishvendra Singh assured them to fulfil their demand.

However, the tension erupted when people from the Jat community learnt that Vishvendra Singh announced through a press conference in Nadbai Wednesday evening that the statue of Ambedkar will be installed at Belara Chauraha.

Nadbai Sub-Division Magistrate Jogendra Singh said efforts are being made to pacify the agitating people.

Bhupendra Singh, the Nadbai Panchayat Samiti Up-pradhan, said, ''We are not jealous of any caste but we are demanding Maharaja Surajmal's statue at the main intersection. Some officers led by the divisional commissioner in a room have made a decision.'' ASP Raghuvir Singh said police personnel have been deployed at the place where the statue of Ambedkar was proposed but protesters started pelting stones on cops.