Protests over vandalism of Ambedkar statue, shops remain closed in Sangrur

Shops in Sangrur city remained closed until noon today in protest against the vandalism of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar last Sunday.

The protest, called by various Dalit organisations, including the Bharatiya Ambedkar Mission, Bharat, saw a large number of demonstrators march from Valmiki Sarovar outside Patiala Gate to the District Administrative Complex (DC office) through the main bazaars.

The protesters held a demonstration outside the DC office, where they submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, urging that a case be registered under the National Security Act (NSA) against those responsible.

Leaders such as Darshan Kangra, national president of the Bharatiya Ambedkar Mission, Ravi Chawla, president of Bhagwan Valmiki Ramayana Bhawan Sarovar, and Bharat Bedi, district president of Safai Sewak Union, demanded an independent probe into the incident and called for exemplary punishment for the culprits. They emphasised that no such act of vandalism should be tolerated.