Villages in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba tense over vandalism of Saint Ravidas statue

After the statue of Sant Ravidas was destroyed by miscreants on the intervening night of Thursday, November 6, 2025 and Friday, November 7, 2025, tension prevailed in Sijhari and other neighboring villages in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh. Villagers, mostly Dalit, staged a sit-in protest in the area and shouted pro-Ambedkarite slogans, demanding strict action against criminals.

Senior regional police officials and local police teams who arrived at the scene assured the protesters that necessary precautions would be taken and such incidents would not happen again. The demonstration was stopped by the villagers. Police teams are present in the area to prevent any negativity.

A case was registered under appropriate sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), in which the police examined CCTV evidence and other electronic materials to nab the culprits.

Congress State Secretary Brijraj Ahirwar also sat on a dharna with villagers in the area. “The Circle Officer asked for two days’ time. If the accused are not caught within two days, the Congress will have to launch a massive movement,” he said.

Ravidas was a 15th-century Dalit saint and poet whose teachings were at the center of the Dalit anti-caste movement.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ACP) Vandana Singh said, “On receiving information that the statue of Sant Shiromani Shri Ravidas Ji was partially damaged by a miscreant at Sijahari village in Srinagar police station area of ​​Mahoba district, senior officials immediately reached the spot and inspected the spot. A case has been registered in the matter under appropriate sections, investigation is on and meaningful efforts are being made to ensure early arrest of the culprits.” he said. Mahoba.

The opposition alleged that feudal elements encouraged under the current government were tolerating these anti-social incidents.

“This is not the first time that the statue associated with Ravidas, Ambedkar, icons of marginalized communities, has been vandalised. If you look back in the last one year, at least ten such examples from different parts of the State have come to public attention. The point is that the feudal elements, emboldened by the rise of the BJP and its politics of hate, are doing this to send a message to the society: Anil Yadav, a senior leader of the Uttar Pradesh Congress, said that the marginalized Dalits will be crushed.”