Aftermath

Frequent violent clashes between Buddhist groups and orthodox Hindus have occurred over the years. When in 1994 a garland of shoes was hung around a statue of Ambedkar in Mumbai, sectarian violence and strikes paralyzed the city for over a week. When the following year similar disturbances occurred, a statue of Ambedkar was destroyed. Upper caste groups in Tamil Nadu have also engaged in violence against Buddhists. In addition, some Buddhists who converted to Buddhism have rioted against Hindus (such as the 2006 Dalit protests in Maharashtra) and desecrated Hindu temples, often incited into doing so by anti Hindu elements and replacing deities with pictures of Ambedkar. The radical Ambedkarite Buddhist Panthers Movement has even gone so far as to attempt to assassinate academics who have been critical of Ambedkars understanding of Buddhism.