Manu statue’s defacement shifts focus on long controversy

Activists have been raising objection to its presence on Rajasthan High Court premises since 1989

The defacement of ancient and legendary Hindu lawgiver Manu’s statue, installed in the Jaipur Bench of Rajasthan High Court, last week and the subsequent arrest of three persons on charges of spraying black paint on the sculpture has shifted focus on a long-drawn-out controversy.

A section of activists have been raising objection to the statue’s presence on the High Court premises since its installation in 1989.

Two women and a man from Aurangabad were arrested with the charges of destroying public property and hurting religious sentiments slapped on them.

The women, Sheela Pawar and Kantabai Ahire, who reportedly wanted to meet the High Court’s Registrar with a request letter for removing the Manu statue, allegedly went to the court’s garden area on October 8 and smeared black paint on the stone sculpture.

Accused in custody

Another accused, Abdul Sheikh Dawood, an accomplice of the women activists, who had managed to escape, was arrested subsequently. All the accused are at present lodged in the Central Jail here under judicial custody and their bail application is yet to be heard.

The women reportedly told the police that they opposed Manu’s philosophy and had sprayed paint on the statue as a mark of protest. On the other hand, lawyers have registered their protest against the lack of security in the High Court, because of which the accused walked up to the statue and tried to damage it.

The issue of shifting the Manu statue from the High Court premises has been pending ever since its installation. Though it was built by the Rajasthan Judicial Officers’ Association and installed after the permission of the then Chief Justice, an agitation was launched with the demand for its immediate removal.

Decision challenged

After a Full Court resolution directed that the stone sculpture be relocated, Jaipur-based Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Dharmendra challenged the decision on the judicial side and obtained a stay order. Since then, the matter has come up in the court time and again without any final decision.

‘Regressive laws’

Dalit activist Bhanwar Meghwanshi said here on Saturday that the Manusmriti, supposedly authored by Manu, had laid down “regressive laws” for women and the people of so-called lower castes.

“Having the Manu statue on the High Court premises goes against the principles of justice and equality, which the court is supposed to uphold,” he said.