Congress leader asks Telangana govt to install Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad

Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao on Saturday asked the TRS-led Telangana government to install a statue of BR Ambedkar at Panjagutta crossroad in Hyderabad on Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14, and threatened to stage a protest in the city on March 7 if his demand is not met.

He said that the police stopped 'Jai Bhim' activists from installing the statue on April 12 and June 18 last year.

"The police stopped the activists of Jai Bhim organisation from installing the statue on April 12 last year. They threw the statue in the dustbin later. I was arrested for staging a dharna. I tried to re-install another Ambedkar statue on June 18, 2019. The statue along with the vehicle was taken into custody by Goshamahal police. I was again stopped by the police and the case was registered against me," Hanumantha Rao told ANI.

Talking about the future course of action, he said that the issue would be raised in Parliament and he and other activists would also meet the SC/ST Commission in Delhi.

"Later, on March 7 we will protest in Hyderabad during the Telangana state Assembly session," he said.

Kodandaram Reddy, president of Telangana Jana Samiti and the chairman of the joint action committee separate Telangana state agitation, also spoke on the same and said, "The government on its own should either install the statue at Panjagutta crossroads or give requisite permission to us for the same. By this, the promise made by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party can be fulfilled.