Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh's statue vandalised in Pakistan; accused arrested

GS PAUL
Tribune News Service
Amritsar/Lahore, August 17

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A nine-feet tall cold bronze statue of the first Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh was on Tuesday vandalised by an activist of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) at the Lahore Fort in Pakistan’s Punjab province, according to media reports.

The accused was identified as Rizwan.

As per the video that has gone viral, the accused could be seen chanting slogans, breaking the arm of the statue and dismantling Singh’s bust from the horse and throwing it on the ground before being pulled by another man.

The TLP activist has been arrested by the Punjab police, the Express Tribune newspaper reported.

The Lahore Fort’s administration said that strict action would be taken against the accused.

Reacting to the incident, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary in a tweet said that such “illiterates are really dangerous” for Pakistan’s image internationally.

Taking cognisance of the incident, Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) had lodged a strong protest with the Pakistan authorities.

Talking to The Tribune, Satwant Singh, president of PSGPC apprised that the accused has been arrested and would be liable to face the course of law.

“The Pakistan authorities took prompt action and put him behind the bars. Such elements try to vitiate the brotherhood between the Sikhs and Muslims and would never be tolerated. We, in Pakistan, feel safe as the law and order here is prompt when it comes to such shameful incidents”, he said.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Imran Khan on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said that immediate action will be taken against the accused.

“These are symptoms of a sick mindset. This is an attempt to undermine Pakistan’s assessment,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

I have apprised Jt Secretary, Min of Exteranl Affairs (PAI) Mr JP Singh about this incident who has assured me that he would take up this matter with @PakinIndia & ask them to take a strict action to curb such hateful vandalising events@ANI @punjabkesari @thetribunechd https://t.co/wYTX4hwS6C pic.twitter.com/RtQbHZlAth

— Manjinder Singh Sirsa (@mssirsa) August 17, 2021

Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Twitter commented “Shameful this bunch of illiterates are really dangerous for Pakistan’s image in the world,”.

Ironically, it was the third time that the statue has been vandalised, since 2019. Less than a month after it was dedicated for the general public, this statue was vandalised by two members of TLP.

The accused were arrested then too. It was again vandalised in December 2020.

The nine-feet tall statue, made of cold bronze, shows the Sikh emperor sitting on a horse with a sword in hand in complete Sikh attire.

This is not the first time that the statue has been targeted. The arm of the statue was broken in Lahore last year. It was also damaged in August 2019 by two young men, according to Geo News.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the founder of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. — PTI