BRS demands public access to 125-feet Ambedkar statue

The BRS has demanded immediate public access to the Dr BR Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad ahead of Ambedkar Jayanti, accusing the Congress government of restricting entry and undermining the ideals of equality and social justice

Hyderabad: The BRS demanded that the State government immediately open the 125-foot Dr BR Ambedkar statue in Hyderabad for public access, enabling people to pay homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution on his birth anniversary on Tuesday. The party accused the Congress government of restricting entry to the landmark out of political vendetta.

In a statement, BRS MLC Dasoju Sravan said it was deeply ironic that while the nation celebrated Ambedkar Jayanti as Equality Day on April 14, access to the iconic statue, which was built during the tenure of BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, was being denied in Telangana. He said the statue premises have been effectively barricaded, preventing the public from paying homage.

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“Confining a symbol of social justice behind barriers is an insult not just to Ambedkar, but to the very ideals of equality and democracy he stood for,” he said.

Targeting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the BRS leader asked the Congress government to show wisdom and allow free access to the memorial. He accused the Congress of acting out of political jealousy towards Chandrashekhar Rao, claiming that such actions undermine the legacy of Ambedkar and alienate marginalised communities.

Sravan argued that the statue represents more than a physical structure, calling it a symbol of social transformation and constitutional values. “Denying public access to such a monument is not merely an administrative oversight as it reflects a disregard for Ambedkar’s philosophy,” he said. He warned that continued restrictions would be considered a slight against democratic principles and social justice.