Man attempts to vandalise Ambedkar statue near Golden Temple, arrested
The accused, identified as Akashdeep Singh, a resident of Dharamkot, Moga, also tried to damage a sculpture depicting the Constitution.
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Akashdeep Singh, 24, during his arrest in Amritsar for trying to vandalise a BR Ambedkar statue. (Express Photo)A person Sunday tried to vandalise the statue of B R Ambedkar adjacent to Golden Temple in Amritsar’s Heritage Street.
The accused, identified as Akashdeep Singh, a resident of Dharamkot, Moga, also tried to damage a sculpture depicting the Constitution placed beneath the statue.
The man climbed up a ladder that was placed near the statue on the occasion of Republic Day. The ladder was there as several organisations usually garland the statue on Republic Day as a tribute to the ‘Father of the Constitution’.
The tourist department security staff present at the site apprehended the man who had climbed up the ladder with a hammer and handed him over to the Kotwali police station.
Harsandeep Singh, In-Charge, Kotwali police station, said the police arrested the accused and were recording statements in the incident.
Later in the day, former BJP MP Vijay Sampla asked the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Sri Akal Takht Sahib to issue a clarification on the attempted vandalisation.
Reacting to Sampla’s remarks, the SGPC said in a statement, “Linking this act to the corridor of Shri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) is entirely incorrect. The statue is located near the Partition Museum and Kotwali, where the government and administration hold full responsibility. While the outer corridor of Shri Harmandir Sahib also falls under government management, the statue is situated nearly a kilometer away from there.”
A man tried to vandalize the statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on the Heritage Street near Darbar Sahib. He was handed over to the police. @IndianExpress @iepunjab pic.twitter.com/mivfwctY0Q
— Kamaldeep Singh ਬਰਾੜ (@kamalsinghbrar) January 26, 2025
“The Sikh institutions respect Dr B R Ambedkar and condemn the act of vandalism against his statue. However, Vijay Sampla linking this incident to Shri Harmandir Sahib and raising questions has created confusion among the public and the devotees. Such actions are highly condemnable. This kind of fabricated rhetoric and baseless allegations are unacceptable. Therefore, Sampla should withdraw his statement, as it is not right to create any form of misunderstanding among the devotees,” the statement added.
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