Statue Attack Sparks Hindu Riots in Mumbai

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MUMBAI, November 30, 2006 (Reuters) - Thousands of low-caste Hindus

attacked police, vehicles and shut shops in India's financial hub

Mumbai on Thursday to protest against the desecration of a statue of

their leader and founder of the constitution.

 

Violence also flared in several towns across the western state of

Maharashtra, where protesters burned buses and threw stones at passing

traffic, injuring dozens of people.

 

Protesters said they were angry that a statue of Bhimrao Ramji

Ambedkar, a low-caste Hindu who authored India's democratic

constitution that prohibits caste-based discrimination, had been

damaged on Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh state.

 

"We want police to arrest those who broke Baba Saheb's (Ambedkar's)

statue. Otherwise, we will burn Maharashtra," a man shouted at

reporters before being dragged away by police in Mumbai. Ambedkar was

born in Maharashtra and Mumbai is the capital.

 

"There are reports of some sporadic incidents. However, things are

under control," said Arup Pattnaik, Mumbai police joint commissioner.

 

But huge groups carrying posters and banners were seen closing shops

and clashing with police in several areas of the city.

 

Witnesses said police used batons and fired tear gas shells to

disperse unruly mobs in the city's Worli, Bandra and Chembur

neighborhoods. Police denied the reports but added "several" people

had been arrested. Curfews were imposed in some towns.

 

Low-caste Hindus or 'dalits', the name for those called "untouchables"

in the past, make up about 16 percent of India's 1.1 billion

population, and are at the bottom of the 3,000-year-old Hindu caste

hierarchy.

 

Though caste-based discrimination is banned, 'dalits' are still often

beaten or killed if they use a well or worship at a temple reserved

for upper castes.

 

SOURCE: News

URL: http://news./s/nm/20061130/wl_nm/india_protest_dc_1