Podium of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s statue in Amritsar's Ram Bagh cries for repairs

Major cracks in the podium on which rests the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (at Ram Bagh), sculpted by renowned artist Ram Vanji Sutar, have been crying for repairs for months with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) turning a blind eye to the issue.

Local activists, concerned about the legacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, claim that the cracks in the platform may lead to further damage to the statue. Earlier, some unidentified individuals damaged the spear placed in the right hand of the statue. Despite being aware of the damaged tiles, the authorities concerned are ignoring it.

Six months ago, Amritsar Tribune had highlighted the poor upkeep of the statue and the deteriorating condition of the podium. At the time, then MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh stated that the MC had planned to reconstruct the walls of the platform, which had been damaged over time.

He had claimed that funds had been arranged and repair work would begin soon. Before the Lok Sabha elections, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla also visited the statue and raised concerns over the damaged platform, broken tiles, and the unchecked growth of weeds and grass in the garden. However, after winning the Lok Sabha elections, Aujla made no efforts to restore the statue’s glory.

Pawan Sharma, a social activist who recently visited the site, expressed disappointment over the statue’s pitiful condition. “It is an insult to our great warrior. Despite several assurances from the MP and the MC, nothing has been rectified,” he said.

Kuljit Singh Malanwali, president of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Virasat Manch, also raised concerns over the lack of action. “We have repeatedly highlighted that the spear in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s right hand has been damaged. Even though MC officials are aware of the issue, no action has been taken to repair both the statue and the podium,” he added.