Statue Politics Continue: Ambedkar And Periyar Statues Vandalized After Lenin

The statue politics of BJP, which has reached Uttar Pradesh from Tripura, through Tamil Nadu, has evoked outrage all across the country. BJP’s new political strategy came into practice with the destruction of Vladimir Lenin’s statue in Tripura following the victory of BJP-IPFT alliance in the state.

The statue of Communist icon Lenin, the Russian revolutionary who had led the fight against the fascist regime in Europe, was vandalized in Belonia town on Monday by BJP workers. A day after, yet another incident of being brought down the statue of Lenin was reported from South Tripura’s Sabroom town.

The BJP-IPFT activists, till Monday, physically attacked 514 Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI(M), workers and supporters, vandalised 1539 homes of party workers and supporters, set on fire 196 homes, vandalized 134 party offices, burnt 64 offices and forcibly occupied 208 offices, said CPI(M) State Secretary Bijan Dhar.

Amidst the justification the entire BJP-RSS brigade on vandalization of Lenin’s statue, the Tamil Nadu has witnessed the destruction of the statue of Dravidian icon EV Ramaswamy, widely known as Periyar. The destruction of Periyar’s statue situated in Thirupattur took place following the Facebook post of H. Raja, a BJP leader in Tamil Nadu. Through the Facebook post, Raja said that Periyar statues in his state could be the next justifying the Tripura incidents.

Periyar, who believed that faith and faith-based discrimination was fundamental to all sort of inequality, opposed Hinduism which had enriched social discrimination and started Self Respect Movement aiming the removal of social injustice. Asking the people to respect themselves and reject God, Periyar burned Manusmriti. So the root of anger of H Raja, who expressed his urge to bring down the statue of Periyar is very clear.

Periyar’s ideology which influenced the Tamil Nadu’s regional nationalism was always an obstacle to BJP to impose their idea of Hindutva political philosophy. Targeting Tamil Nadu’s pride Periyar, BJP is like playing with fire.

So, the BJP leaders, who kept mum over Tripura attacks, including Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi, have sensed the possible backlash and condemned the attacks.

BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday called the incidents of toppling statues in Tripura and other parts of the country "unfortunate" and warned of severe action against guilty party members.

In a series of tweets, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said destroying statues was extremely unfortunate.

"We as a party do not support bringing down anybody's statue," he said.

On Wednesday, Modi “strongly condemned” the vandalism of statues in many states triggered by razing of Communist hero Lenin's statue in Tripura on Monday, an act condoned by BJP leaders followed by a similar incident in Tamil Nadu.

"(The) Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. (The) ministry has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law.

While, on the other hand, the BJP supporters continue their attack on their political and ideological opponents. In another case, Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue was vandalized by unidentified people in Mawana, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh last night.