Political Row Erupts Over Missing Plaque at Vijayawada’s Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Memorial

A major political controversy has been escalated by the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) after a program was conducted at the party's central office in Tadepalli to commemorate the death anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The central point of contention involves a stone plaque that was recently removed from the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Smriti Vanam (Memorial Park) in Vijayawada, which was established by the previous YSRCP government and features the 125-foot "Statue of Social Justice." A stern demand was issued by YSRCP leaders, notably by the party’s SC Cell State President, TJR Sudhakar Babu, that the removed plaque must be reinstalled by January 26th. It was warned that if the deadline is not met, a complete removal of all stone plaques currently being erected by the coalition government would be carried out once the YSRCP is returned to power.

The ruling TDP-led coalition has previously distanced itself from the plaque's removal, stating that the act was committed by miscreants and that the government played no role, while also alleging that the sentiments of the Dalit community had been hurt by the excessive prominence given to the former Chief Minister’s name on the plaque.

However, the YSRCP leaders asserted that during the five-year rule of former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Ambedkar’s ideals of social justice and equality were upheld through welfare programs and the successful installation of the 125-foot statue. In contrast, the current administration was accused of governing the state by a "Red Book Constitution" instead of the foundational principles of the Indian Constitution, which has allegedly led to a decline in law and order and the weakening of key sectors like education. Furthermore, the ruling party was accused of insulting Dr. Ambedkar by allegedly allowing the memorial to fall into neglect and by the comparison of the NTR statue to the Ambedkar statue. The party's general secretaries, including Jupudi Prabhakar Rao and Nandamuri Lakshmi Parvathi, maintained that the current administration's actions demonstrate a fundamental inability to respect Ambedkar's legacy and the aspirations of social justice.