CM Thackeray orders strict action against vandalism at Ambedkar’s Mumbai house

Earlier, on Tuesday evening, two unidentified troublemakers vandalised a few flower pots and also tried to destroy the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras installed outside Rajgruha.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned of stern action after two unidentified persons made an unsuccessful bid to vandalise Rajgruha, the house of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar that has been converted into a memorial at Dadar’s Hindu Colony in central Mumbai, on Tuesday evening.

Chief MInister Uddhav Thackeray called the attack on the “revered place” as “shocking”. (PTI)

Thackeray called the attack on the “revered place” as “shocking”.

“Rajgruha is revered not just for followers of Dr. Ambedkar, but also cutting across community lines,” said the CM.

“We won’t tolerate anyone insulting Rajgruha. I have ordered the police to take strict action against the offenders,” he added

Rajgruha has a private library, which has a collection of over 50,000 books that belonged to Dr. Ambedkar, and many other artefacts.

Earlier, on Tuesday evening, two unidentified troublemakers vandalised a few flower pots and also tried to destroy the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras installed outside Rajgruha.

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh has ordered an inquiry and said the guilty would not be spared.

State housing Minister Jitendra Awhad rushed to the spot on Wednesday morning on the instructions of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and met Dr. Ambedkar’s family members.

Bhimrao Ambedkar expressed hope that the police would nab the culprits soon and appealed to the public to exercise restraint.

He also requested the deployment of police personnel at Rajgruha to guard the books in the library. The incident evoked anger among Dr. Ambedkar’s followers.

Around 200 of them reached Rajgruha at night on Tuesday, but were dispersed by the police.

Dr. Amedkar’s family members have appealed for peace and said that they would react only after a police investigation.

Police have intensified vigil at Rajgruha and senior officials are monitoring the situation round-the-clock.

Rajgruha is revered by lakhs of Dr. Ambedkar’s followers along with Chaityabhoomi, where he was cremated in December 1956.

Dr. Ambedkar, the architect of the Indian Constitution, also championed the country’s Dalit Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination towards untouchability in the rigid four-fold Hindu caste system.