BJP slams Kejri over ‘vandalism’ of Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar

The BJP has slammed former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over an alleged attempt to vandalise a statue of BR Ambedkar in Amritsar and accused him of disrespecting the Dalit community.

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An unidentified person vandalised the 33-feet tall statue of BR Ambedkar, installed at a busy intersection near a police station, with a hammer in broad daylight.

In a joint press conference on Monday, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, BJP national spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra and MP Yogendra Chandolia condemned the act, demanding an apology from Kejriwal and his resignation.

Dr Patra called the act “heart-wrenching,” pointing out that it took place while the nation was celebrating Republic Day, underscoring the lack of action by the Punjab government under Kejriwal’s leadership.

Patra further accused Kejriwal of displaying an “anti-Dalit” stance, citing previous instances where he failed to honor Dalit representation, including his unfulfilled promise to appoint a Dalit Deputy Chief Minister in Punjab. He also linked the incident to a larger pattern of disrespect towards Dalits.

The BJP leaders also questioned the role of the police in the incident, alleging ‘lack of response’. They warned that Kejriwal might try to garner sympathy by orchestrating attacks on himself ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, but emphasised that the public would not be swayed by such tactics.

Patra said: “Only a traitor can dare to desecrate Ambedkar’s statue”. He called on Kejriwal to take responsibility for the incident.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP staged a protest near former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence on Monday over the vandalism of Ambedkar’s statue.

Led by BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Gautam and Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, along with MP Yogendra Chandolia, the protesters marched towards Kejriwal’s residence. However, police personnel stopped them just a few metres away from Kejriwal’s residence. Several senior leaders, including Sachdeva, were detained and taken to the Mandir Marg police station.

Sachdeva condemned the act, calling it an attack on Dalits and an exposure of Kejriwal’s hypocritical governance.

“This incident reveals the anti-Dalit face of the AAP government,” said Sachdeva. “The Punjab Government under Kejriwal’s leadership has failed to protect the statue of a national icon like BR Ambedkar,” he said.

BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia wrote a letter to Kejriwal demanding an apology for the incident. In his letter, Chandolia expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order in Punjab and called the vandalism of Ambedkar’s statue “shameful.” He stated that Delhi would not tolerate any insult to the Dalit community.

BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam accused Kejriwal of disrespecting Ambedkar and the Dalit community.

BJP officials also stated that the attack could not have taken place without the implicit consent of the Punjab Government, which is led by AAP.

Gautam and other BJP leaders argued that Kejriwal’s inaction revealed the true face of his leadership.