Today, Monday, June 10, Republican Sena leader and BR Ambedkar's grandson, Anandraj Ambedkar, staged a protest against the Maharashtra government's alleged plans to introduce a few verses from the Manusmriti in the school curriculum and burnt a copy of the text. This was stated in a report by PTI.

Ambedkar and his supporters gathered at the Kranti Stambh in Mahad city of Raigad district and raised slogans against the state education department.

Addressing the gathering, the Republican Sena leader criticised the government for its plan to introduce verses of the ancient text in school curriculum. Ambedkar burned a copy of the Manusmruti and the protestors soon dispersed.

Police personnel in large numbers were deployed near the Kranti Stambh and Chavdar Tale area to prevent any untoward incident, a senior police official said.

The background

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Thursday, May 30, made it amply clear that the state government has not even thought of including a single verse of Manusmriti in any curriculum in the state.

His statement came a day after NCP(SP) legislator Jitendra Awhad tore and burnt the copies of Manusmriti at Mahad and while doing so, unintentionally, tore a poster with the picture of Dr Ambedkar, which led to a controversy, despite his unconditional apology over the incident.

“Maharashtra government has not even thought of including a single verse of Manusmriti in any curriculum. Not today, never. There is no discussion about it. Our opponents lie every day and make excuses for it," said Fadnavis.