Valmiki community activists during a protest after a man attempt to destroy the statue of Br Ambedkar adjacent to the golden temple, in Amritsar, on January 27, 2025. Man was subsequently arrested. | Photo credit: PTI
Even when the Punjab police arrested a man who allegedly tried to disfigure the statue of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar in Amritsar, Punjab, on Sunday (January 26, 2025) the ruler party AAM AADMI (AAP) found himself at the receiver end when the opposition the parties cornered the state government due to the deterioration of the public order situation.
On January 26, according to an alleged video of the incident, the defendant was hit by hitting the statue located in the City Council on the city’s patrimonial street, near the golden temple. He went up to the statue using a ladder.
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Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurreet Singh Bhullar said on Monday that the defendant had been identified as Akash Singh, a resident of the Dharamkot village in the Moga district. It has been arrested and a first information report (FIR) has been recorded.
“We are investigating the matter from all possible angles. The police team is trying to find out about any possible involvement of other people in addition to the accused. The initial research has revealed that Akash belongs to the program of scheduled castes. A fair investigation is being carried out, ”said Bhullar.
The defendant has been prosecuted under the relevant legal provisions, including articles 299 (deliberate and malicious acts destined to outrage religious feelings of any kind insulting their religion), 196 (promote enmity between different groups for reasons of religion) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Among other sections.
Read too | Attempts to destroy Ambedkar’s statue can not decrease their historical contribution: Salman Khurshid
Meanwhile, a closure in Amritssar was observed after a call made by groups of Dalit communities as a sign of protest against the incident. Police implemented security measures.
The main minister of Punjab, Bhagwant Mann, said that an exemplary punishment would be guaranteed to the person who had tried to damage the statue of Dr. Ambedkar. “The state government is totally vigilant and committed to crushing the nefarious designs of antisocial and antinational elements trying to create disturbances in Punjab,” he said in a statement.
The opposition, including Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata party criticized the state government, blaming it for the deterioration of law and order. The leader of the Congress and opposition leader, Partap Singh Bajwa, said: “The incident is a great failure of the AAP government and a proof of its failure of law and order. Mr. Mann is busy campaigning for the elections to the Assembly of Delhi and has left the State at the mercy of God. He is fleeing his responsibilities towards the State. ”
The incident has injured the feelings of millions of Indians worldwide, and has once again exposed anarchy in Punjab. “It is surprising that the incident took place in one of the busiest places in the city and also on a historic day of the Republic, when the government states that security measures are maximum,” he said.
The BJP National Secretary, Tarun Chough, said there was a complete collapse of the law and order in Punjab and that a special research team should be created to investigate the incident.
The head of the Bahujan Samaj party, Mayawati, condemned the incident and accused the state government of negligence, the AAP, as the reason behind the incident. He demanded immediate and strict measures against those involved.
Published – January 27, 2025 11:08 pm ist