Desecration of Ambedkar statue: Protest held over Phillaur incident

A joint delegation comprising leaders and activists from various social and political organisations, including the Guru Ravidas Tiger Force, Ambedkar Sena Moolnivasi, Yuva Vikas Morcha and the Indian National Congress, staged a protest march in Phagwara on Sunday following the alleged desecration of a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar in village Nangal of Phillaur tehsil in Jalandhar district.

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The protest began at Ambedkar Park in Hargobind Nagar, where community members gathered in large numbers before marching towards the Tehsil Complex. There, the delegation submitted a memorandum to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Jashanjeet Singh, expressing anger and concern over the incident, which reportedly took place on the intervening night of June 1 and 2. The statue was found defaced, an act the protesters called both deliberate and deeply hurtful to the sentiments of Dalits and followers of Dr Ambedkar.

In their memorandum, the leaders named Gurpatwant Singh Pannu and his alleged supporters as being behind the act and demanded immediate police action. They urged the administration to identify and apprehend the culprits within 48 hours. Failing this, they warned, they would mobilise supporters in greater numbers and call for a complete shutdown (Phagwara Bandh) as a mark of protest.

The delegation further appealed for permanent security arrangements for all statues of Dr Ambedkar across Punjab, citing the need to protect these symbols of social justice and constitutional values. The leaders said that repeated incidents of desecration were not only acts of vandalism but attacks on the dignity of marginalised communities.

SDM Jashanjeet Singh received the memorandum and assured the delegation that the matter would be dealt

with promptly and appropriately. He also conveyed the administration’s commitment to maintaining peace and ensuring justice.

Among those who led the protest were Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, Congress MLA from Phagwara; Anu Suhota, president of Yuva Vikas Morcha; Ashvini Sahota, vice-president of Yuva Vikas Morcha; Dharamveer Bodh, president of Ambedkar Sena Moolnivasi; Ajay Moolnivasi, vice-president of the same organisation; advocate Randeep Kailey; and Bittu, general secretary and municipal councillor from the Congress.

The event remained peaceful and was marked by coordinated slogans, speeches and appeals for unity and vigilance among communities. The protesters emphasised that the legacy of Dr Ambedkar, as the architect of the Indian Constitution and a champion of human rights, must be safeguarded from divisive forces to maintain social harmony.