Defiling of Ambedkar’s statue sparks outrage

A wave of anger and anguish swept through the region early on Monday morning after a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was found desecrated in Nangal village near Phillaur in Punjab’s Jalandhar district. The statue, a symbol of social justice and the Indian Constitution, was defaced with black spray paint, and nearby, a Khalistan flag was hoisted. The banned secessionist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) has claimed responsibility for the act, citing it as part of a broader campaign leading up to the anniversary of Operation Blue Star.

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CCTV footage retrieved from the area showed a masked man, wearing a cap and concealing his face with a cloth, approaching the statue and defacing it with paint. This is the second such incident in the same village in recent months — the earlier act of vandalism occurred on March 31, when another Ambedkar statue, encased in glass, was targeted. Local residents were shocked and distressed by the latest defilement, which occurred around 12:27 am, and immediately informed the authorities.

Shortly after the footage surfaced, SFJ leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun released a video at 9:15 am, claiming that the attack was deliberate and strategically timed ahead of June 6, the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star. The group alleges that Article 25(b) of the Indian Constitution — which, under Ambedkar’s leadership, categorised Sikhs under the broader umbrella of Hindu personal laws — remains a source of constitutional betrayal, which they hold responsible for long-standing grievances.

The desecration has drawn fierce condemnation from across the political spectrum. Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, who visited the site immediately after the news broke, called the act “a shameful and cowardly attack, not only on a revered national figure, but on the soul of India’s Constitution”. Speaking to reporters, Chaudhary stressed that such provocations were intended to incite communal tension, particularly between Dalit and Sikh communities — both of whom share legacies of struggle against social oppression.

“This is not merely the defacement of a statue — it is an attack on the values of equality, justice and democracy that Dr BR Ambedkar stood for,” Chaudhary said. “We will not allow foreign-funded separatist elements to destroy the social harmony of Punjab. The people of Phillaur — Dalits, Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims alike — reject this divisive propaganda.”

Echoing these sentiments, prominent Dalit leader Amritpal Bhonsle issued a scathing statement, denouncing the repeated targeting of Ambedkar’s statues as part of a larger conspiracy aimed at disturbing peace in Punjab. Bhonsle held the state government and intelligence agencies accountable for failing to prevent the incident, and demanded the immediate resignation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Home Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. He warned that if the culprits are not arrested within 24 hours, the Dalit community would be “compelled to take to the streets”.

“These acts of desecration are not random,” Bhonsle said. “They are calculated efforts to provoke, to insult, and to destabilise. The fact that such incidents are happening repeatedly, and with impunity, suggests a dangerous breakdown in law and order.”

The outrage was not limited to the ruling party or the opposition. BJP leaders, including former Union Ministers Vijay Sampla and Som Parkash, BJP Kisan Morcha leader Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal and Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, also condemned the act. In a rare display of political unity, leaders across party lines emphasised the need to uphold Ambedkar’s legacy and protect symbols of national significance from such attacks.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in and around Phillaur, especially in areas deemed sensitive. Police have launched an investigation and are working to identify the perpetrator captured on video. Though the desecrated statue was cleaned shortly after the incident, traces of damage remain visible, intensifying local resentment.

Leaders from the Ambedkar Sena of India, including Dr Harjinder Jakhu, Rajinder Kajle, Tara Chand Jakhu, and several others, joined Bhonsle in a press conference calling for justice. They also criticised the lack of protective measures around important statues despite previous incidents, highlighting that while the earlier vandalised statue was protected by a glass enclosure, the recently targeted one was not.

The incident has once again spotlighted the persistent vulnerability of public monuments, especially those representing figures from the marginalised communities. Dr BR Ambedkar, a jurist, social reformer and the principal architect of the Indian Constitution, is deeply revered across India — particularly by Dalits — as a symbol of resistance to caste-based oppression and a guardian of democratic ideals.

Legal experts and civil society organisations have warned that the desecration of Ambedkar’s image carries not only criminal implications but the risk of stoking caste conflict in a state already coping with delicate communal dynamics. While the political establishment has uniformly condemned the act, community leaders stress that true justice will only be served through visible, timely accountability.

As Punjab braces for the emotionally charged date of June 6, authorities have urged calm and unity. “Let us not respond with anger,” MLA Chaudhary said. “Let us respond with unity and an unshakable commitment to the values Ambedkar gave his life for — justice, equality and the dignity of all.”