In a shocking development, Dr. BR Ambedkar's statue was recently defaced with Pro-Khalistani slogans in Phillaur, Jalandhar. As per reports, terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun of Sikh For Justice (SFJ) has taken responsibility for carrying out the crime. In a video message, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu used inappropriate language and claimed that he wrote the slogans on Ambedkar’s statue in Nangal village, Phillaur. He further called for the removal of Ambedkar’s statues across Punjab on April 14, Dr. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Gurmeet Singh addressed the media and confirmed the incident that had taken place. He stated that a statue of Dr. BR Ambedkar in Mand village was protected by a glass covering, but miscreants managed to deface it with offensive language. He assured that an FIR is being registered under charges of hurting religious sentiments, and authorities are reviewing CCTV footage from the area
The SSP further said that this action has been taken by mischievous people to spoil the atmosphere of Punjab by hurting religious sentiments, but this case will be traced soon and no one will be allowed to spoil the atmosphere of Punjab.
On the other hand, the SC brotherhood said that they strongly condemn the writing of Khalistani slogans on the statue of Baba Saheb. He warned the administration in this matter and said that if Baba Saheb's statue continues to be insulted in this way in the future, then the BSP party can stage a strong protest in the coming days.
For the unversed, Punjab has already witnessed multiple cities undergoing Bandh earlier this year after a man vandalised the life-size statue of BR Ambedkar in Punjab’s Amritsar by climbing atop it and striking it with a hammer on the occasion of 76th Republic Day. A purported video of the incident was circulated on social media in which the man could be seen climbing up the statue using a long steel ladder carrying a hammer.