Village in Rae Bareli tense after mud smeared on Ambedkar’s statue

Baburiha village under the Gadganj police station limits in ​​Raebareli district remained tense on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) after unknown miscreants smeared mud and soot on a statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on the intervening night, sparking widespread anger among villagers.

When villagers saw the condition of the statue in the morning, they demanded action against the culprits. “Baba Saheb’s followers and we, the local residents, are deeply angered. Unknown individuals took advantage of the darkness,” said Umesh Gautam, a local.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rae Bareli and Circle Officer (CO) Unchahar arrived at the scene, spoke to the angry villagers, calmed them down, and assured them of a fair investigation.

“Taking immediate cognisance of the incident, the Additional Superintendent of Police, Rae Bareli, the Circle Officer, Unchahar, along with the Gadganj police team, arrived at the scene and had the statue cleaned. CCTV footage from the surrounding area is being checked and necessary action is being taken. Peace and law and order are maintained at the scene,” reads a statement by the Rae Bareli police.

The police assured them of swift identification of the culprits and strict legal action. Police have been deployed in the village as a precautionary measure, and the situation is under control.

Congress party described the incident as a calculated nefarious strategy by the feudal forces to demoralise Dalits, adding that it is a pattern of vendetta against the community.

“The incident is not a single episode in Uttar Pradesh. In the last year, multiple such incidents have come into the public domain. It is a calculated nefarious strategy by the feudal forces to demoralise Dalits. Such an incident happening in Rae Bareli, the constituency represented by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi Ji, has a broader meaning and is a way of showing vendetta against Dalits who supported the pro-poor ideas of Rahul Ji, said Shahnawaz Alam, Congress national secretary.

“We demand that the government come up with a white paper on actions being taken in incidents across the state linked to vandalism of Ambedkar statue,” Mr. Alam added.