Ambedkar’s statue vandalised in Punjab’s Batala
Dalit organisations held protests around the statue early in the morning, alleging the statue’s finger was broken and it was pelted with stones.
Just two days after BR Ambedkar’s statue was defaced at Nangal village near Phillaur in Jalandhar district, one of his statues was allegedly damaged on Wednesday in Batala town of Gurdaspur district as well.
Dalit organisations held protests around the statue early in the morning, alleging the statue’s finger was broken and it was pelted with stones.
However, police said an investigation was launched to ascertain if the finger broke ‘naturally’ or it was a deliberate act.
The protesters alleged the government ‘failed’ to ensure protection of Ambedkar’s statues.
Batala deputy superintendent of police (DSP City) Sanjeev Kumar said it is to be investigated if the finger broke naturally, or some person did it as it has been learnt that this finger was seen broken before the alleged incident.
“We did not find any stones around the statue as well. We are investigating the matter,” he added.
This is the second such incident in three days. On March 31, a Khalistani flag and graffiti reading ‘Sikhs are not Hindus’ were placed on a statue of Ambedkar at Nangal village. An investigation was launched as well.
US-based banned organisation Sikhs for Justice’s (SFJ) head Gurpatwant Singh Pannun took responsibility of the vandalism, claiming that ‘it was just a trailer’, and threatened to remove all of the leader’s statues from Punjab before Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14.
The two incidents come two months after a statue of Ambedkar was vandalised on January 26 on Heritage Street leading to the Golden Temple in Amritsar. A youngster identified as Akash Singh from Moga village climbed atop the statue in Amritsar and tried to vandalise it.
