Meerut, Aug 11 (DC): A group of Dalit lawyers in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut "purified" the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar with milk and 'gangaajal' (holy Ganga water) soon after it was garlanded by Bharatiya Janata Party's state secretary Sunil Bansal on Friday.

The lawyers said that the statue placed near the district court became "dirty" after Bansal garlanded it.

"We are purifying this statue because Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Rakesh Sinha came and garlanded it. BJP government oppresses Dalits. They have nothing to do with Ambedkar, but still they use his name just to promote their party and allure the Dalit community," a lawyer told news agency ANI.

Ambedkar, a Dalit icon, extensively campaigned against social discrimination against untouchables and also supported the rights of women and labourers.

In somewhat similar incident earlier this month, a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Hamirpur town was purified with 'Gangaajal' and statutes of deities were sent to Allahabad for purification after the visit of Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Manisha Anuragi.

Manisha Anuragi visited the temple on July 12 while she was in her assembly constituency to attend a function.

Locals said women were not allowed inside the temple and could only pray from outside.