The Indian Constitution Day on November 26 will see the reinstallation of B.R. Ambedkar’s statue in front of the Vidhana Soudha. The statue had been removed for the Namma Metro work, and there was a long-standing demand to reinstall it in the original place.
“The statue will be back in its place on Samvidhan Divas, in honour of the architect of the Constitution of India,” said Minister for Social Welfare H. Anjaneya. “After a series of contentions that the issue of shifting had seen since 2013, we selected the best day to put the statue back amidst beautiful landscaping,” said the Minister.
Dr. Ambedkar’s statue was shifted in May 2013 amid stiff resistance from a section of Dalit rights groups, who had filed a petition in the High Court opposing the move.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mavalli Shankar, president, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Ambedkarvada), though happy that the statue would be back in place, is unhappy about the way in which the government is “hurriedly” bringing it back. “Shouldn’t the statue and its environs be as majestic as the Gandhi statue installed in the Vidhana Soudha now?” asked Mr. Shankar, saying that the statue stands on its old pedestal even now.
The Minister, however, said the statue will be installed amidst a carpet of green carried out by the Lalbagh Gardens, under the Department of Horticulture. The pathways leading to the statue will have garden lighting by the Public Works Department.
“We will develop 2,400 sq. metres of landscaping, with sprinklers for maintenance, dotted with colourful ornamental plants,” said M. Jagadeesh, joint director, horticulture, parks and gardens, Lalbagh.
ADVERTISEMENT
This is the first phase of the greenery work undertaken by BMRCL at the cost of Rs. 1.5 crore. “The second phase will cover gardening in between the Vidhana Soudha and the High Court, which will be taken up soon,” said P.C. Ray, Commissioner, Department of Horticulture.