Demand for removal of Manu’s statue

Demand for removal of Manu’s statue

Subject :History

Context: The demand for the removal of the ancient Hindu law-giver Manu’s statue, installed in the Jaipur Bench of Rajasthan High Court, has revived.

Background of the issue:

• The 11-feet-tall sculpture of Manu, was installed on February 10, 1989, on the Rajasthan High court premises.
• Since its installation, the statue of Manu holding the Manusmriti in his hand has seen many protests.
  • Reason for protest: Considered as an insult to Dalits, women and all those who believe in equality and justice.
• Immediately after it was installed, the Rajasthan High Court issued an administrative order on July 28, 1989, to have it removed.
• However, the order was stayed by the high court after Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Dharmendra and others filed a public interest litigation against it.
• The PIL is said to be the oldest writ petition pending in the high court and was last heard in 2015 when the proceedings were disrupted due to protests by a group of Brahmin lawyers.

About Manusmriti:

• Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu, is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Dharmasastra literary tradition of Hinduism.
• Composed between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, the Manusmriti is written in sloka verses, containing two non-rhyming lines of 16 syllabus each.
• Manusmriti is encyclopedic in scope, covering subjects such as the social obligations and duties of the various castes and of individuals in different stages of life, the suitable social and sexual relations of men and women of different castes, on taxes, the rules for kingship, on maintaining marital harmony and the procedures for settling everyday disputes.
• The ancient text has 4 major divisions: 1) Creation of the world. 2) Sources of dharma. 3) The dharma of the four social classes. 4) Law of karma, rebirth, and final liberation.
• It was first translated into English by Sir William Jones. It was used to construct the Hindu law code, for the East India Company administered enclaves.
• On December 25, 1927, Dr B R Ambedkar had famously burned the Manusmṛiti, which he saw as a source of gender and caste oppression.

Subject :History

Context: The demand for the removal of the ancient Hindu law-giver Manu’s statue, installed in the Jaipur Bench of Rajasthan High Court, has revived.

Background of the issue:

• The 11-feet-tall sculpture of Manu, was installed on February 10, 1989, on the Rajasthan High court premises.
• Since its installation, the statue of Manu holding the Manusmriti in his hand has seen many protests.
  • Reason for protest: Considered as an insult to Dalits, women and all those who believe in equality and justice.
• Immediately after it was installed, the Rajasthan High Court issued an administrative order on July 28, 1989, to have it removed.
• However, the order was stayed by the high court after Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Acharya Dharmendra and others filed a public interest litigation against it.
• The PIL is said to be the oldest writ petition pending in the high court and was last heard in 2015 when the proceedings were disrupted due to protests by a group of Brahmin lawyers.

About Manusmriti:

• Manusmriti or the Laws of Manu, is a Sanskrit text belonging to the Dharmasastra literary tradition of Hinduism.
• Composed between the 2nd century BCE and 3rd century CE, the Manusmriti is written in sloka verses, containing two non-rhyming lines of 16 syllabus each.
• Manusmriti is encyclopedic in scope, covering subjects such as the social obligations and duties of the various castes and of individuals in different stages of life, the suitable social and sexual relations of men and women of different castes, on taxes, the rules for kingship, on maintaining marital harmony and the procedures for settling everyday disputes.
• The ancient text has 4 major divisions: 1) Creation of the world. 2) Sources of dharma. 3) The dharma of the four social classes. 4) Law of karma, rebirth, and final liberation.
• It was first translated into English by Sir William Jones. It was used to construct the Hindu law code, for the East India Company administered enclaves.
• On December 25, 1927, Dr B R Ambedkar had famously burned the Manusmṛiti, which he saw as a source of gender and caste oppression.