UP’s saffron Ambedkar painted blue

Lucknow: Two days after a saffron coloured statue of dalit ideologue B.R. Ambedkar was installed in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district, a local Bahujan Samaj Party leader painted it blue on Tuesday morning. The saffron statue in Dugrraiya village had become a subject of controversy as Ambedkar’s coat is usually painted blue or black.

BSP regional head Hemendra Gautam claimed on Tuesday that he had painted the Ambedkar’s coat blue because Ambedkar in saffron was unacceptable to dalits.

When contacted, district officials refused to comment on the change of colour of the statue.

Reports said that after the statue was vandalised last Friday night, district officials ordered a new one from Agra.