Phagwara: Dalit organisations convene meeting to condemn sacrilege of Ambedkar statue

Leaders of several Scheduled Caste (SC) organisations gathered in Phagwara on Tuesday to strongly condemn the act of sacrilege involving the defacement of Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue at village Nangal in Phillaur tehsil of Jalandhar district. The meeting, held at the Phagwara Rest House, was organised by prominent Dalit outfits, including the Guru Ravidas Tiger Force, Ambedkar Sena Moolnivasi and Yuva Vikas Morcha.

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The meeting was convened in response to the incident that took place on the intervening night of June 1 and 2, where unidentified miscreants allegedly vandalised a statue of Dr Ambedkar — a revered figure among the SC community and principal architect of the Indian Constitution. The gathering saw participation from notable SC leaders including Yash Barna (Chairman, Guru Ravidas Tiger Force), Dharmender Both (president, Ambedkar Sena Moolnivasi), Anu Suhota and Ashvini Suhota (president and vice-president, Yuva Vikas Morcha), along with other activists and representatives from Ambedkarite and Moolnivasi organisations.

Addressing the attendees, advocate Randeep Kumar Kailey, a member of Ambedkar Sena, unequivocally condemned the incident and expressed concern over the failure of the local administration and police to safeguard symbols of Dalit pride. He urged community leaders to unite on a common platform to counter the alleged provocations by Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, a separatist and pro-Khalistan advocate. Kailey also noted the financial challenges in pursuing legal redress, stating that “justice through the judiciary remains out of reach for many in the SC community due to high legal costs”.

Yash Barna, representing the Guru Ravidas Tiger Force, referred to Article 25 of the Constitution, asserting that Dr Ambedkar envisioned equal respect for all religions and rejected the conflation of Sikh identity with that of ‘Keshdhari Hindus’—a claim he said was being promoted by Khalistani elements. Barna accused Pannu of using local youth to incite communal tension and facilitate their escape abroad by supporting asylum claims.

The silence of elected SC representatives drew sharp criticism from Manveer Bodh of the Ambedkar Sena Moolnivasi, who questioned the absence of statements from local SC MPs and MLAs, particularly targeting former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. Similarly, Money Ambedkari raised concerns over the future of Dalits, warning of the danger of suppressing SC voices. He added that no separatist group or leader had condemned the act, further deepening the community’s sense of alienation.

Ajay Moolnivasi, president of the National Moolnivasi Sangh, echoed the call for unity, urging all Dalit organisations to consolidate their efforts to prevent future acts of sacrilege. He also held the Central Government accountable for not acting against Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, demanding his deportation from the United States. Moolnivasi further alleged that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was indirectly behind such incidents in Punjab and West Bengal—states where it traditionally has weaker influence—claiming that Pannu might be acting as an “agent of RSS” to create instability.

At the conclusion of the meeting, it was resolved that all SC leaders and supporters in Phagwara would assemble on Wednesday morning at 10 am at Ambedkar Park, Hargobind Nagar. They plan to submit a memorandum to the local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) demanding swift justice and immediate steps to safeguard Ambedkar statues across the region. Among the measures proposed is the installation of sensor-based alert systems on statues to notify local police in real-time in case of tampering.