Man attempts to vandalise Ambedkar statue near Golden Temple, arrested
Tension gripped the city on Sunday after a man allegedly tried to vandalise the statue of BR Ambedkar at the Town Hall on Heritage Street that leads to the Golden Temple, officials said
Incidentally, the Kotwali police station is located just a few metres away from the spot.
A purported video of the incident went viral on social media in which the man could be seen climbing up the statue using a long steel ladder carrying a hammer.
Man uses hammer to deface Baba Saheb Ambedkar ji's statue in Amritsar, Punjab!
Law & order has totally collapsed under "AAP Da"!
This is an insult of "Dalit" brothers and sisters!
Mr Arvind Kejriwal has exploited Dalit brothers and sisters from Punjab to Delhi! pic.twitter.com/ELXY5lLvWB
— Pradeep Bhandari(प्रदीप भंडारी)🇮🇳 (@pradip103) January 27, 2025
Though the suspect, who hails from Moga district, was arrested from the spot, various Dalit organisations gathered outside the Town Hall Gate and held a demonstration against the alleged attempt to vandalise the statue.
Heavy police force led by senior police officials, including DCP Jagjit Singh Walia, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishaljit Singh, rushed to the Town Hall gate and tried to pacify the protesters.
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਸਹਿਬ ਵਿਖੇ ਬਾਬਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਡਾ. ਭੀਮ ਰਾਓ ਅੰਬੇਡਕਰ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਬੁੱਤ ਨੂੰ ਤੋੜਨ ਦੀ ਘਟਨਾ ਬੇਹੱਦ ਨਿੰਦਣਯੋਗ ਹੈ। ਇਸਦੀ ਮੈਂ ਸਖ਼ਤ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿਖੇਧੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਮੰਤਰੀ @BhagwantMann ਦਿੱਲੀ ਚੋਣਾਂ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਚਾਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਰੁੱਝਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਹੈ... @AAPPunjab ਦੀ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਅਤੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ… pic.twitter.com/79aYOD3BqK
— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) January 27, 2025
Meanwhile, Dalit organisations gave a call for a bandh in the city.
Attempt to vandalise Ambedkar statue 'shameful', says Mayawati
Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Monday condemned the alleged attempt to vandalise the statue of BR Ambedkar and accused the state’s AAP government of negligence.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also slammed the Congress and the BJP, claiming that the two parties are using Ambedkar’s name to deceive the people of Delhi ahead of the February 5 Assembly polls.
In a series of posts on X, Mayawati said, “The attempt to desecrate the statue of Baba Saheb Dr BR Ambedkar near the Golden Temple on Heritage Street in Amritsar and to set fire near a copy of the Constitution is shameful. Such incidents, caused by government negligence, must be strongly condemned”.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo demanded strict legal action against “such anti-social elements” to prevent any recurrence of such events in the future.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday condemned the incident and said strict action would be taken in the matter. —with PTI
