Ambedkar dispute heading towards caste conflict in MP:After two months, the matter flared up again, with other castes joining along with Brahmins and Dalits

The Ambedkar controversy in Gwalior has once again intensified at the start of the new year, revealing deeper political, ideological, and caste-related tensions simmering beneath the surface. On January 1, a video showing the burning of a photograph of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and protests across the city. Following the incident, several Dalit organisations, including the Bhim Army and Azad Samaj Party, staged a sit-in protest at the Gwalior Collectorate for nearly two and a half hours. The demonstration escalated political tensions and forced the administration to intervene. Police registered a case against seven people, including former Bar Council president Anil Mishra. However, on January 7, a local court granted bail to all the accused, further fuelling discontent among protestors. A controversy that has been brewing for a year Contrary to public perception, the dispute did not begin with the January 1 incident. The roots of the controversy trace back to February 19, 2025, when then Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh, Suresh Kumar Kaith, visited Gwalior. During his visit, a group of lawyers submitted a memorandum demanding the installation of a statue of Dr Ambedkar within the Gwalior High Court premises. Mahendra Pratap Singh Raghuvanshi, one of the lawyers who signed the memorandum, clarified that the initiative was institutional rather than caste-driven. “Lawyers from the Scheduled Castes, backward classes, Thakurs, and Brahmins were all signatories. We simply wanted to honour the architect of the Constitution, just as the Supreme Court does,” he said. The proposal moved swiftly. On March 19, 2025, the High Court issued an official order approving the installation. A day later, the Public Works Department was assigned to construct the statue platform.
Dispute shifts from statue to street politics Despite the administrative approvals, the matter soon took a different turn. Raghuvanshi expressed disappointment over how the issue escalated. “This was a small institutional matter. Instead of remaining within legal boundaries, it was deliberately turned into a caste-based agitation. Now, the original issue has been sidelined,” he said, alleging that some individuals are attempting to gain political relevance by exploiting the controversy. He emphasised that social harmony is more important than symbolic disputes and that the matter should be resolved legally rather than through street protests. Bar council sees political agenda behind protests Gwalior Bar Council president Pawan Pathak labelled the controversy a “political spectacle”. He alleged that multiple political forces were fuelling unrest. “A sponsored agenda is running across the country under the banner of the Bhim Army. False cases and illegal fund collections are being carried out in Ambedkar’s name,” Pathak claimed. He also alleged that the memorandum submitted for statue installation was forged, asserting that it was not officially issued by the Bar Council but prepared jointly by the district administration and certain activists.​​​​​​​ Supporters call it an insult to the Constitution Advocate Vishwajeet Ratonia, who supports the statue installation, strongly rejected these allegations. He termed the opposition casteist and politically motivated. “The statue was approved, the platform was built, and funds were raised transparently through contributions from lawyers of all communities. Yet, the statue was stopped at the last moment,” he said. Ratonia alleged a larger conspiracy, stating that burning Ambedkar’s photograph and taking the issue to the streets was pre-planned and aimed at undermining constitutional values and reservations. Administration and experts urge legal resolution Bar Council vice-president Sarnam Singh Kushwah struck a more balanced note, stating that while the issue has not fully turned into an ethnic conflict, attempts are being made to push it in that direction. He pointed out that those who earlier protested are now allegedly involved in acts insulting Ambedkar, further vitiating the atmosphere. The disputed statue remains with sculptor Anuj Rai, who said police protection was provided to his home for months after the controversy erupted. “The order came from the Collectorate, and Bar Council members funded it,” he said. Gwalior IG Arvind Saxena confirmed that both sides have been repeatedly advised to pursue legal remedies. Senior journalist and political analyst Dev Shrimali observed that the dispute reflects a nationwide pattern of identity politics. “This is not just Gwalior’s issue. Unless there is consensus on Ambedkar’s constitutional role, such conflicts will keep resurfacing,” he said.