BJP panel alleges ‘big conspiracy’ in Ambedkar statue vandalism in Amritsar

The delegation was led by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Brij Lal strongly condemned the act, calling it an unacceptable attack on the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar.
Punjab Police arrested Akash Singh for allegedly attempting to damage the Ambedkar statue at the Town Hall on Heritage Street in Amritsar
Punjab Police arrested Akash Singh for allegedly attempting to damage the Ambedkar statue at the Town Hall on Heritage Street in AmritsarPhoto | X/ officeofssbadal
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AMRITSAR: The controversy surrounding the attempted vandalism of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's statue in Amritsar continues to escalate, with a six-member panel formed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) visited the city on Sunday to probe the incident. The panel termed the act a "big conspiracy," hinting at the involvement of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The delegation was led by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP and former Director General of Police of Uttar Pradesh, Brij Lal. After visiting the site of the damaged statue, he strongly condemned the act, calling it an unacceptable attack on the legacy of Babasaheb Ambedkar.

"The incident that occurred on January 26 is extremely unfortunate. Protests against it have erupted across the country, and opposition to it has been expressed in various states. However, neither AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal, nor Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has visited Amritsar to address the issue. Kejriwal is a habitual liar and the biggest opponent of the Constitution and Babasaheb," Lal alleged.

He further claimed that the act was not carried out by a single individual but was part of a larger conspiracy. "This is not the work of one person; this is a well-planned conspiracy. The Aam Aadmi Party also seems to be involved in this, having created a state of lawlessness in Punjab. This incident will not be tolerated, and we will conduct a thorough investigation," he asserted.

Punjab Police arrested Akash Singh for allegedly attempting to damage the Ambedkar statue at the Town Hall on Heritage Street in Amritsar
Political blame game in Punjab after Ambedkar statue was vandalised

Expressing doubts over the Punjab government’s ability to ensure a fair probe, Lal stated that the BJP’s panel would prepare an independent investigation report and submit it to the central government. "We do not believe the Amritsar administration or Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will conduct a proper investigation. I have firsthand knowledge of the internal situation in Punjab, including the recent blasts in police stations, as I have been part of the police force myself," he said.

When asked about the timeline for submitting their report, Lal responded that it would be completed soon.

The other panel members included BJP Scheduled Caste Morcha national president Lal Singh Arya, former Union minister Som Parkash, national spokesperson Guruprakash Paswan, Uttar Pradesh minister Aseem Arun, and BJP leader from Ambala, Banto Dev Kataria. The delegation also paid floral tributes to Ambedkar at his statue in Amritsar before commencing their probe.

On January 26, Punjab Police arrested Akash Singh, a resident of Dharamkot in Moga district, for allegedly attempting to damage the Ambedkar statue at the Town Hall on Heritage Street, which leads to the Golden Temple. A video of the incident went viral on social media, showing a man climbing atop the statue using a steel ladder while carrying a hammer. He was seen repeatedly striking the statue and also damaging the symbolic Constitution book that is part of the monument.

The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, with political parties trading blame. The investigation into the matter remains ongoing.

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