Pipliya Mandi (Madhya Pradesh): Tension prevailed at a village in the Mandsaur district on Wednesday, with a section of people objecting to the overnight installation of the Lord Hanuman statue at a controversial site at the bus stand near the railway gate.
A section of people including Dalit and backward-class leaders raised objections as the news spread leading to tension in the area. The controversy surrounding the vacant site dates back several years, with successive proposals for various statues during the tenures of Congress.
These proposals include plans to install statues of Dr Ambedkar, former union minister Madhavrao Scindia and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
Notably, during the tenure of Chothmal Gupta in 2006, a proposal to install the statue of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya was met with protests from backward and Dalit classes. Subsequently, the case was investigated and the installation was cancelled.
Reacting to the incident, leaders from marginalised communities have demanded swift action against those responsible for disturbing the peace. They have expressed disappointment in the lack of response from local authorities, accusing the police and administration of negligence.
Dalit leader Kishanlal Chauhan claimed that despite calls for intervention, both the police and administration have seemingly absolved themselves of responsibility. The situation should be†handled delicately and issues should be resolved
Bhim Army district president Mangalesh Suryavanshi urged swift action from the administration, the place reserved for the statue should be cleared and the statue of the Lord Hanuman should be shifted to another place.
Pipliya TI Neeraj Sarwan claimed that the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the civic body, and the CMO would take appropriate action. When discussed with CMO Praveen Sen, he said that no permission is granted for statue installations currently, and guidance is awaited from senior officials.
SDOP Narendra Solanki said that no complaint has been received, it is a matter of the civic body. The statue has been installed without†requisite permission and the issue can be dealt with legally.
