BJP Member of Parliament Tarun Chugh criticized the AAP government in Chandigarh on Thursday after reports that a statue of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was vandalized at Jalandhar Bypass Chowk in Ludhiana. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday evening, sparked outrage among the Valmiki community and raised concerns about the protection of public monuments.
Chugh said that the incident reflected a broader failure of the Punjab administration to safeguard the dignity of the Constitution’s architect. He questioned how a government that pled to uphold constitutional values could fail to protect a symbol of those values, describing the situation as a serious concern for law and order.
He pointed out that Punjab faces a growing drug problem and that the desecration of Ambedkar statues is part of a wider pattern of disrespect. Chugh demanded that those responsible be identified and arrested immediately and called for a comprehensive security review of all major Ambedkar monuments and other sensitive sites across the state.
Chugh urged that the Dalit community requires dignity and security rather than speeches, and that the people of Punjab need justice, not fear. He said the AAP’s promises about social justice and the rights of ordinary citizens had been contradicted by its actions since taking office.
