The Centre’s Narendra Modi government on Thursday faced considerable condemnation after social media users began reacting to a poster with BR Ambedkar collecting garbage in a government advertisement.
Many on social media said that the ad was an insult to Ambedkar, who’s the architect of the Indian constitution and was a great champion of Dalit rights. Faced with growing condemnation, the railway ministry announced that it was withdrawing the ad from Delhi railway station.
A tweet from the Railway Ministry said, “Thanks for your feedback. We have removed the poster.”
Thanks for your feedback. We have removed the poster
— Ministry of Railways (@RailMinIndia) August 3, 2017
The ad was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swacch Bharat scheme.
Here’s how social media users reacted;
This is shocking! Govt should remove this advt immediately. https://t.co/kUeq84eLIY
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) August 3, 2017
GOI Ad on Delhi Rly Stn shows Dr Ambedkar picking up trash. Asks every1 to b like him & clean dirt.Shameful & castist ad must be pulled down pic.twitter.com/baz7wYh9QL
— Ravi Ratan (@scribe_it) August 3, 2017
Sir @sureshpprabhu why is my babsaheb shown in this manner & not @narendramodi ji. Sir end this manuvadi insult .. Volunteers at the station pic.twitter.com/XWID4wE1LJ
— Tehseen Poonawalla (@tehseenp) August 3, 2017