Posters of Dalit icons vandalised at AUD Delhi; BAPSA demands action against offenders

NEW DELHI: Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students Association (BAPSA), JNU, demanded a strict action against those who vandalised the posters of Ambedkar, Phule, Periyar and other Dalit icons at Ambedkar University Delhi.

On the occasion of Phule-Ambedkar Jayanti, various programmes had been organised by Ambedkarite Students Forum, a socio-edu-cultural forum formed by Adivasi, Dalit and Bahujan students of Ambedkar University, Delhi. Two “despicable incidents” occurred on the eve of Phule-Ambedkar Jayanti, the students group said.

“In one incident, the posters having pictures of our Bahujan icons were torn down and thrown into the dustbin by unknown persons. Cowards who don't have enough courage to face the ideas of our icons, have always engaged in activities such as vandalizing their portraits, breaking their statues and tearing their images. Recent incident of vandalising the portrait of Periyar in JNU, by ABVP is one such.”

In another biased act, the security personnel removed the posters from the notice board. “The security head had ordered for the removal of posters, by stating that the notice was meant to be used only for department related purposes, which is not true as until then posters related to various events had been allowed to stick,” BAPSA alleged.

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“This biased attitude of people in authority towards anti-caste movements is not new, especially in academic and bureaucratic spaces. We have always faced hurdles and struggled to get what we deserve rightfully, unlike others who get it easily,” it said.

Educate! Agitate!! Organize!!!

Demanding strict action against offenders who disrespected Ambedkar and other Bahujan icons in AUD.

Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students' Association.
BAPSA.

read full text at: https://t.co/Gre8zUsSv7 pic.twitter.com/uqfkZ6fl33

— BAPSA (@BAPSA_JNU) April 17, 2023

“In this struggle for assertion we have even come across people, like our beloved Rohith Vemula, who have even lost their precious lives," it added.

BAPSA expressed solidarity with Ambedkarite Students Forum and demanded strict action against the biased attitude of the security personnel and against the offenders who disrespected Ambedkar and other Dalit icons.