Vandalism of Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue draws flak from all quarters

A day after vandalisation of the life size statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Town Hall in Heritage Street here on Sunday, a number of political leaders of the state government and from the opposition parties visited the site.

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While opposition leader criticised the AAP government over deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, the ruling party leaders reiterated their stand to take stern action against culprits behind the incident.

The incident has invited widespread condemnation from all quarters, while various Dalit community organisations held demonstration at the Bhandari bridge against the incident.

AAP leaders led by Cabinet minister and AAP president Aman Arora visited the spot in the evening today. Among others, who accompanied him, include Cabinet Ministers Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Harbhajan Singh ETO and Harpal Cheema. They garlanded Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue and paid rich tributes to him.

Condemning the incident, the ministers said nobody would be allowed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Punjab. Cheema said the accused in the incident was arrested and the case would be investigated threadbare.

“A high-level probe is underway and whoever is found involved will be taken to task,” he said. Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla also strongly condemned the incident, while adding that such acts insult the ideals of justice, equality and secularism gifted to citizens. Aujla along with another senior Congress leader Raj Kumar Verka washed Dr Ambedkar’s statue with milk following the desecration incident.

Last night Partap Singh Bajwa also visited the site.

While condemning the incident, Bajwa alleged that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was busy in election campaigns in Delhi, while leaving Punjab and its people at the mercy of the God.

The law and order in Punjab was deteriorating, he said. Aujla demanded a probe into the incident by a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia termed the incident as “pre-planned and premeditated conspiracy” to create division in civil society. The incident had exposed total failure of the police, he said, while adding that accountability of officials concerned should be fixed. He also demanded action against senior police officials.