AHMEDABAD: A new movement among dalits in Gujarat asking for the world’s tallest statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar could test Narendra Modi ’s political tightrope-walking skills ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Having anointed himself ‘Chhote Sardar’, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate is in the midst of a record-breaking drive to create awareness about the 182-metre statue of Sardar Patel being built near Narmada dam.

Barely days after a mammoth ‘Run for Unity’, some 3,000 dalits plan to take to the streets across Gujarat demanding a similar statue for Ambedkar. The rally will be held at Badharka, a village 10 km from Dholka on December 25, the day Ambedkar burnt the Manusmriti in 1927.

In Gujarat, nearly one lakh families from across 3,500 villages covering 14 districts will light lamps at home at 9 pm on December 25. The event is being managed by independent dalit rights groups. Special paraphernalia, matchboxes and candles carrying the message — ‘Bharat desh ni sauthi unchi pratima, adhunik Bharat na gadhvaiya, Dr Ambedkar , ej emnu sachu samman’ have been distributed in villages.

This is a Gujarat-based movement, but could become a headache for Modi if it spreads to other states as it is known that Sardar and Ambedkar strongly differed on a number of issues, including reservation.

“If the state government can mobilize Rs 2,500 crore for the tallest statue of Sardar from across the country, why can’t there be a similar drive for Babasaheb’s statue? After all, he stood for equality among all communities and a socially cohesive nation,” says Martin Mackwan, founder of Navsarjan Trust, which is spearheading the movement.

Macwan wants a debate on why Ambedkar does not deserve the world’s tallest statue. He wants this message of alleged injustice to reach out to the 17% dalit population in the country.