Congress hits out at Punjab, Centre over Ambedkar statue desecration

Congress party leaders have strongly condemned the alleged attempt to desecrate a statue of Dr B.R. Ambedkar in Amritsar, accusing both the Punjab and Union governments of failing to show the due respect to the architect of India’s Constitution.

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The Congress has also criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab for not taking sufficient action against the perpetrators of such incidents.

Leaders such as Fatehgarh Sahib MP Dr Amar Singh Boparai, Indian Overseas Congress (United Kingdom) President Kamal Dhaliwal, and Block Congress President Deepak Sharma termed the incident an attack on India’s democracy, particularly on Republic Day. They also accused the BJP-led Union government of being a passive spectator to the Punjab government’s inaction in addressing these issues.

Dr. Boparai expressed regret over the AAP government’s failure to prevent repeated incidents of desecration in the state, while Dhaliwal pointed out that such acts tarnish the reputation of Punjabis abroad. Dhaliwal mentioned receiving calls from the Indian diaspora in Canada, the USA, Australia, and the UK, expressing shock and seeking an explanation for the incident.

In response to the incident, local enthusiasts, led by former President of the Municipal Council Vikas Krishan Tandon, cleaned and garlanded statues and portraits of Dr. Ambedkar as a mark of respect. The activists also raised slogans against both the Punjab and Union governments during the event.