Varied Dalit organizations on Wednesday (October 15, 2025) known as off an agitation that they had introduced in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior in opposition to the current offensive remarks made by a lawyer about BR Ambedkar, with the police sustaining a decent vigil within the metropolis and stopping any clashes between two teams.
Gwalior Superintendent of Police Dharmvir Singh advised The Hindu that greater than 4,200 personnel are at the moment deployed within the metropolis, together with over 700 known as in from neighboring districts, together with preparations for tear fuel and different measures to stop any escalation.
“We additionally detained about 25 folks from exterior who have been making an attempt to enter Gwalior immediately (Wednesday) to hitch the protests and mobilize assist,” he mentioned, including that preventive orders beneath Part 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have been additionally issued.
Whereas the state of affairs within the metropolis has been tense since February between two factions of legal professionals over the set up of a statute of Ambedkar within the premises of the Gwalior bench of the Madhya Pradesh Excessive Court docket, the present Tensions flared after a lawyer, Anil Mishra, posted a video on social media earlier this month through which he allegedly used derogatory phrases in opposition to the architect of the Structure. This prompted varied Dalit organizations, together with the Bhim Military, to announce an agitation within the metropolis on October 15. An FIR was additionally lodged in opposition to Mr. Mishra for the remarks.
Mr. Mishra and a gaggle of legal professionals have opposed the set up of the Ambedkar statue and have in flip demanded {that a} sculpture of BN Rau, the advisor to the constituent meeting, be put in.
A counter demonstration was additionally introduced by Mr. Mishra’s faction for a similar day, elevating fears of potential clashes between the 2 sides.
Mr. Singh mentioned that for the reason that announcement, senior police and administration officers have held about 300 conferences with native communities to construct confidence and suggested them to not fall prey to social media campaigns.
“We’ve got been monitoring social media for about 10 days now and have additionally restricted a number of posts and accounts that would have added to the strain. We additionally alerted native lodge and lodge house owners to provide us data on anybody coming from exterior,” the SP mentioned.
Mr. Singh additionally mentioned that stern warnings have been additionally issued to representatives of varied teams and outfits. “We advised them that if something goes mistaken, they are going to be held accountable and strict authorized motion will probably be taken,” he added.
Earlier this week, a video additionally went viral exhibiting Gwalior metropolis Deputy SP Hina Khan elevating slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ when a gaggle of protesters led by Mr. Mishra accused her of bias in opposition to the Hindu neighborhood and began sloganeering.
Mr. Singh mentioned that Ms. Khan dealt with the state of affairs nicely and “used her presence of thoughts to cope with the protesters”.
The matter of statue set up is at the moment pending within the Excessive Court docket.
Revealed – October 16, 2025 01:45 am IST