Outrage After Ambedkar Statue Vandalized in Punjab

A statue of BR Ambedkar was vandalized in Amritsar on Republic Day, prompting demands for apologies from AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. The incident incited widespread outrage, questioning Punjab's law and order. Punjab CM promised strict action against offenders and urged public calm.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal has called for an apology from AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal following the vandalism of BR Ambedkar's statue in Amritsar, Punjab on Republic Day. On January 26, a youth defaced the life-size statue by mounting it and striking it with a hammer, an act caught on video and widely shared on social media.

"Kejriwal ji should apologise to the nation. There is AAP government in Punjab and the statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar was vandalised in front of everyone. He should apologise," Meghwal remarked during a media interaction on Tuesday. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva earlier accused the Punjab government of complicity, asserting that such an incident could not occur without state government consent.

Sachdeva, speaking to ANI, demanded the resignation of Punjab's CM Mann along with an apology. "Without the consent of the government, without the consent of Arvind Kejriwal, such a heinous act could not happen. They have insulted Dalits -- the whole of India," he stated. BJP General Secretary Tarun Chugh further criticized, saying the episode revealed Punjab's fragile law and order.

"On the pious occasion of Republic Day, with police present throughout Punjab, the unfortunate incident in Amritsar highlights the state's security failings," Chugh commented. The incident sparked outrage and political backlash, though Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann assured severe punishment for those responsible and urged the public to remain calm, acknowledging the act as a significant affront to Ambedkar's legacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)